Red Bull’s new management has signed Helmut Marko to a two-year contract extension, which guarantees his position with the Formula 1 team until the end of 2026.
Red Bull has given Helmut Marko a three-year contract extension, as the company hasn’t forgotten that its current success came from consistency even with leadership changes at the executive level.
The veteran Austrian’s current contract, in which he remains in after appointment by his longtime friend Dietrich Mateschitz, expires at the end of this year. However, there were hints that Oliver Mintzlaff, who is currently in charge of overseeing the company’s sporting programs, wouldn’t renew it now that the billionaire passed away.
There have been rumors of turmoil within Red Bull after Dietrich Mateschitz passed away as Red Bull’s new CEO Oliver Mintzlaff reportedly prefers changes. It is alleged that Christian Horner wanted to become more powerful and the team boss was no longer on good terms with Marko. However, this seems to be less of a reality now that Marko has signed a contract.
It’s unlikely to be known for sure whether the rival teams instigated the rumors in an effort to stir up trouble within the reigning champions. However, Marko’s strong support from Max Verstappen appears to have turned the tide of the internal conflict in his favor.
The three-time World Champion gets along incredibly well with Marko and has expressed his desire to have the former Le Mans winner at his side for as long as possible. They appear to have similar ideas about how to communicate inside the team and go racing.
Verstappen has frequently stated that he values Helmut’s “no bullshit approach,” noting that “you always know where you stand with him because it tells it like he sees it and I’m like that as well.”
Marko works for Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of Red Bull Racing, but even though he isn’t technically employed by the F1 team, his influence is evident.
He is the one who makes sure there is always a talent pool of drivers to choose from. While some teams are more successful than others, Red Bull has given drivers in Formula 1 the most opportunities as Marko has won seven world titles in the last 14 years with the team.
