Red Bull recently announced the departure of Helmut Marko after two decades, but the long-time advisor has claimed all is not exactly as it seems.
Marko has sharply refuted the team’s official press release confirming his exit, labelling it “full of nonsense” and hinting that his decision was the result of internal changes and trust issues within the organisation.
He went on to insist that winning a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship with Max Verstappen would not have swayed his decision to depart.
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Former team principal Christian Horner, now-retired motorsport advisor Helmut Marko and driver Max Verstappen. Getty
The Austrian’s retirement from the Milton Keynes-based squad was announced last week, in the days following the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
During his 20-year tenure as motorsport adviser and architect of the six-time constructors’ champions’ junior team, the 82-year-old Marko was a fundamental figure.
Having been with the team from its 2005 entry, he helped usher 10 drivers — including Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo — into the main squad.
However, Marko has become a polarising figure in the paddock.
His decision to walk away follows the controversy he sparked when he inadvertently contributed to the social media pile-on against Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli.
The rookie received death threats and a torrent of online abuse following suggestions that he intentionally let Lando Norris pass him on the penultimate lap at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Ahead of his final race for Red Bull at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo is pictured with then team principal Christian Horner and team consultant Helmut Marko. Getty
The blunder by Antonelli, which ultimately contributed to deciding the championship in favour of Norris, sparked claims from Marko that the mistake amounted to intentional interference in the title fight.
Speaking to the Dutch publication De Limburger, Marko explained that his decision “started to take shape” during the Qatar Grand Prix.
Asked why his departure had seemed to come out of the blue to fans, Marko offered a succinct reply: “Certainly”.
He went on to clarify that his departure was voluntary and on his own terms, contrasting with the perception held by others.
“I hadn’t been thinking about it myself for that long either,” he said.
“The idea of stopping started to take shape for me in Qatar.
Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko arrives in the paddock. Zak Mauger via LAT Images
“I’m not much of a doubter; I’m quite decisive. On the Thursday before the final race in Abu Dhabi, I decided for myself that this would be my last weekend.”
Last Tuesday, Red Bull released a statement attributed to Marko, which confirmed the end of his career.
Marko was quoted in the statement, saying: “Narrowly missing out on the world championship this season has moved me deeply and made it clear to me that now is the right moment for me personally to end this very long, intense, and successful chapter.”
But Marko has since claimed that the emotional, retirement-on-a-high narrative conveyed in the press release may not be the real reasons for his leaving.
“I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I didn’t read that press release full of nonsense,” he said.
“Let’s just say that a lot has changed at the team in a short period of time. You think you know people well, but in the end that turns out not to be the case… No, I really won’t say more.”
He added: “That fifth title wouldn’t have changed anything anyway. It was my ultimate dream to win five in a row with Verstappen, the best driver we’ve ever had. But it wasn’t meant to be, even though I still had good hopes before the final race.”