Helmut Marko links Red Bull exit to Verstappen missing Schumacher title feat

Helmut Marko doubled down on the reasoning for his Red Bull exit being Max Verstappen missing out on a fifth straight world championship.

Pointing to how only Michael Schumacher and Ferrari had previously pulled off such an achievement, Marko called it a “huge disappointment” when Verstappen and Red Bull fell just two points short of emulating that feat in 2025. Marko says this was the trigger for his Red Bull exit at the end of last year.

Helmut Marko explains Red Bull exit after 2025 title loss

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Verstappen had dominated much of the ground effect era, but by 2024, McLaren had grown into a serious threat.

McLaren had what was widely regarded as the fastest car in 2025, but Verstappen almost pulled off a remarkable title comeback, making the podium at every round after the summer break, six of those being victories.

Ultimately, Verstappen fell just two points short of Lando Norris, who was crowned world champion for the first time.

At the end of the year, Red Bull’s senior advisor and young driver programme boss, Helmut Marko, left the team which he had been a part of since day one.

During a Die Zeit interview, Marko was asked whether he walked away from Red Bull because he no longer wanted to deal with the younger generation.

“No. The reason was my disappointment that we didn’t win the world championship in 2025.

“I wanted to draw my own conclusions from that.”

Marko was pressed on whether that was the whole story.

Pointed out to him that Verstappen fell only two points short, it was suggested that this was not grounds to walk away from Red Bull.

For Verstappen and Red Bull, it was an achievement in its own right, despite the final result, to rally as team and driver did to put McLaren under such pressure.

“Well, it would have been our fifth consecutive world championship; only Michael Schumacher managed that at Ferrari,” said Marko.

“It was a huge disappointment.”

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Verstappen was the second driver to win four world titles in a row with Red Bull. He matched the achievement of Sebastian Vettel, who won four straight between 2010-13.

Marko recalled what stood out to him when he signed those drivers as youngsters.

“When Vettel sat opposite me at that table in my office back then, he had just won 18 out of 20 Formula BMW races. He was unhappy that he hadn’t won the other two as well.

“I remember that unbridled determination.

“Verstappen gave the impression that the mind of a 25-year-old man was housed in his 15-year-old body.

“Max had a clear goal, which was partly down to the extremely effective and rigorous training he received from his father.”

Earlier this month, Marko was confirmed as an ambassador for the Austrian Grand Prix, marking his first Formula 1 role since leaving Red Bull.

While no longer a part of the Red Bull team, Marko has remained on the other end of the phone for his former peers.

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