Marko wants to continue at Red Bull for years to come: 'Unless I get fired'

Helmut Marko has been around for quite a few years in Formula 1. Between 1971 and 1972, he drove ten Grands Prix in the premier class of motor sport, and from 1999 he was in charge of Red Bull's junior development programme. Since 2005, he has held the title of advisor and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

At least, that is Marko's hope. The 79-year-old Austrian is getting on in years, but he doesn't want to give up. He still enjoys working every day at Red Bull Racing and his involvement in the Formula One project. Marko says he will only quit if he is fired by his employer.

The French AutoHebdo asked Marko if he doesn't get bored at some point. After all, he has been running for so many years. "It's all about passion and I'm very passionate about it. I love the sport and I love winning. None of my activities are stressful for me. I feel good, and as long as I can keep doing this job well and not get fired, I will!"

Marko, also known as the talent scout, is still in charge of the junior team. He determines which drivers are ready for a step up and which drivers will be dismissed because they no longer meet expectations.

Verstappen project successful

Marko also comes to talk in the magazine about Verstappen's world title in 2021. "It's true. Personally I call it 'the Verstappen project'. After he won, you could feel a great relief in the whole family. By winning, they had achieved what they had wanted for a long time and had achieved their goal. Max has always had to deal with a lot of pressure from Jos. He [Verstappen sr.] still puts pressure on him, but now a little less. All this has made him more mature. He is 24 years old and a young world champion. The rest is just a bonus."