Marko refutes claims of disregarding Red Bull and expresses a desire for Verstappen to remain with the team.
"I have faith and hope that Max remains confident in Red Bull."
Dr. Helmut Marko has refuted claims that he is intentionally missing Red Bull’s home grand prix to steer clear of an awkward encounter with the team’s current management. Germany’s Bild newspaper reported that the retired Red Bull motorsport advisor is avoiding Spielberg to prevent a confrontation with Mark Mateschitz, Chalerm Yoovidhya, and Oliver Mintzlaff as worries about Max Verstappen’s future increase. "I don’t avoid anyone," the 83-year-old asserted.
Marko, who resides just an hour from the Red Bull Ring in Graz and is serving as a new ambassador for the Austrian Grand Prix, explained that his absence merely signifies his choice to fully retire from Formula 1. "I’ve decided to stop after 30 years in Formula 1," he conveyed to Bild. "That means stopping completely. I want to gain some distance. That’s why I haven’t attended a single race this season, and I plan to continue that way."
When asked if it pains him to miss Red Bull’s home race, he acknowledged: "Yes, absolutely. But I’m a very principled person. Currently, I’m focusing on new real estate and hotel projects, which keeps me sufficiently occupied."
Nevertheless, Marko emphasizes that he remains a dedicated fan of the sport. "Yes, of course," he confirmed when queried if he continues to watch Formula 1. "Since the introduction of all these new updates and changes to the cars, I also follow the practice sessions and qualifying sessions again." When informed that Formula 1 is evidently still dear to him, he responded: "That will always stay the same."
Despite ongoing rumors surrounding Verstappen and reports that long-time chief engineer Paul Monaghan may also be leaving, Marko does not foresee a downfall at Red Bull. "No, I don’t," he stated. "We have consistently brought in new, highly skilled individuals from other teams and have been—and will certainly remain—dedicated to providing promising young talents with opportunities to progress. Sometimes it requires a bit of time for everything to synchronize again in this collaboration."
Regarding Verstappen, Marko hopes that Red Bull’s significant upgrade package introduced this weekend will help persuade the four-time world champion to remain. "Essentially, I’d like to point out that we have a surprisingly powerful engine," he remarked. "And I’ve heard that Red Bull is arriving at the track with a multitude of updates. If they all function as expected, it would be a positive indication for the remainder of the season and the chance that he stays."
"I believe and hope that Max continues to trust in Red Bull, disregards the exit clauses, and honors his contract until 2028. That would be the best outcome for Red Bull."
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