Marko points the finger at Wolff 'the firestarter' in Red Bull instability

The confirmation that Verstappen woud stay ultimately came from Marko himself in conversation with German media. Thus, Verstappen will stay put in 2026.

However, the 81-year old Austrian does confess the fuss made around Verstappen's situation at Red Bull Racing did annoy him. Particularly all the speculations that arose regarding his contract.

"Above all, everyone believed that they knew better than we did what the exit clause looked like," said Marko candidly in conversation with Austrian journal Krone.

Marko doesn't overlook the role Mercedes team boss and CEO Wolff played in the delicate situation. "All of this has been stoked a bit by Toto," the Austrian believes.

Having confirmed himself Verstappen's permanence with the Austrian squad for 2026, Marko branded a move to another team nonsensical particularly due to the regulation revamp Formula One is set to undergo.

As such, the Austrian believes that there are many variables and thus much can go wrong if the Dutchman was to make the wrong move.

However, the Red Bull advisor does not explicitly rule out that Verstappen may switch F1 teams after next year, and even went as far as to encourage him to sized the field first.

"If I were Verstappen, I would also look at it first and then decide," Marko concluded.

The Austrian recently spoke about the situation at Red Bull Powertrains, and their collaboration with Ford to develop the in-house engines that Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls are set to put in their cars, and did so with cautious optimism.