FORMULA 1 ABU DHABI GP LEWIS HAMILTON RUMOURS

Marko denies rumours: 'Leaving Red Bull was entirely my own decision'

16:45, 10 Dec

byLudo van Denderen

Helmut Marko strongly refutes media reports that Red Bull wanted to get rid of him. The now former advisor of the Austrian team revealed this in an exclusive conversation with GPblog.

Marko left Red Bull Racing last Tuesday. His departure came as a surprise to many, as the Austrian still had a contract with Red Bull until the end of 2026. “It was after the race,” Marko said about the moment he decided to leave.

“If we had become champions, I would have thought it was a good time to take a step back. But now it’s exactly the opposite. We lost the championship. It’s always a good time to stop. So one thing led to another.”

Helmut Marko - Red Bull Content Pool

Marko made the decision entirely on his own

Red Bull GmbH’s management, in the person of Oliver Mintzlaff, was subsequently informed. “I met him on Monday in Dubai,” Marko confirms.

Various media outlets reported that Red Bull wanted to part ways with Marko. However, Marko is very clear that this was not the case. “This was my decision,” he states firmly. When asked if stories claiming otherwise are incorrect, he says: “Yes.”

Thus, a long and successful collaboration comes to an abrupt end. “It surprised everyone [that I’m stopping],” Marko laughs, when asked what his family thinks about him being home more often now.

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