Explained: Why Helmut Marko is still in F1 at 81 years old

Helmut Marko said he is still working in F1 because of Max Verstappen and to preserve the spirit of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz.

At 81, Marko is the oldest working member of the F1 paddock but has stated no desire to walk away from his Red Bull role just yet.

Helmut Marko reveals Max Verstappen inspiration behind F1 longevity

An ever-present since the team’s formation, Marko has been crucial in steering young talent through the Red Bull pipeline and into the cockpit.

Sebastian Vettel was his first success, winning four consecutive World titles, but Max Verstappen has become Red Bull’s poster boy. Triumphant in the previous four campaigns, the Dutchman looks set to be one of F1’s best until he decides to hang up his gloves.

But even when Verstappen was winning, things were not all rosy in Milton Keynes or Salzburg. Last season saw a threat of self-inflicted implosion as Marko and Christian Horner were pitted against each other and there even reports that the former may lose his job.

However, an intervention from Verstappen who stated if Marko goes then he goes too saw the Austrian stay on and he has now stated that he remains in the sport because of his protege.

“I still do this job for two reasons: one is Max and the other is to preserve the spirit of Red Bull and Dietrich Mateschitz in the team,” Marko told Formule1.nl. “At least that’s what I try to do, because there is no one who can really replace Didi.

“Max is a great talent and a special person. He is everything that Red Bull represents. The boss always said: ‘we don’t buy stars, we make stars.’ Max is the perfect example of this: direct, available and a great sportsman. It’s wonderful to work with a person like that.

“I have never felt so close to a driver, I admit it straight away. The first time I had a serious conversation with Max, he was 13 years old. Normally I talk to a young driver for 10-15 minutes. With Max it lasted more than an hour.”

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Any suggestion that Verstappen was bluffing over his exit threat was not tested and the Dutchman told De Telegraaf that he was absolutely willing to walk away if Marko was given the boot.

“I think I did state clearly what I thought about it,” Verstappen said.

“I also think it was important that I said that at the time. And I meant it too. It wasn’t a bluff. And they know that within the team too.

“Whether at that stage I had any doubts about my future at Red Bull? Well, the feeling was not quite 100 per cent. There was a lot going on.

“But on the other hand, I also don’t think that if something goes wrong, you can immediately just say: I’m leaving. I’m not like that.”

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