Helmut Marko, a longtime Formula 1 executive who has been with Red Bull Racing since its inception in 2005, is leaving the company, Sky Sports reported Monday.

Marko’s future had been an increasingly popular topic of conversation as the season progressed. The 82-year-old Red Bull advisor said over the weekend at the season-ending Abu Dhabi race that he was definitely considering leaving.

“It’s not in doubt,” he said when asked whether his future with Red Bull was in doubt. “I will have a discussion and then I see what I do. It’s a complex [set] of different things. I have to sleep over it and then we will see.”

Marko’s tenure at Red Bull has been a remarkably successful one, with four-time series champions Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen among the drivers Marko brought into the fold.

He also is credited as the primary reason Verstappen stayed with Red Bull following a sexual misconduct scandal involving then-Red Bull F1 head Christian Horner in 2024.

“(Marko) has to stay for me (to stay with Red Bull),” Verstappen famously said at the time.

One issue for Red Bull as it transitions away from Marko’s influence is the icon’s status with the team. He has no formal contract with the racing team, but rather is employed by Austria-based Red Bull GmbH, Red Bull’s parent company.

The 28-year-old Verstappen, who is under a five-year contract through 2028 reportedly worth more than $275 million, narrowly missed out on a fifth straight series title on Sunday as he finished two points behind champion Lando Norris.

–Field Level Media