Who is Helmut Marko And What's The Max Verstappen Connection At Red Bull?
Renowned as the senior advisor at Red Bull GmbH, Dr. Helmut Marko's tenure with the team dates back to 1990. Appointed by company founder Dietrich Mateschitz, Marko oversaw the Red Bull Junior Team, shaping the careers of F1 stars like Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo, and Alex Albon.
Key Takeaways:
- Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull's senior advisor since 1990, has played a key role in shaping the careers of Formula 1 stars like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen through the Red Bull Junior Team.
- Despite a racing career cut short by a tragic eye injury in 1972, Marko transitioned to become a successful driver manager and founded RSM Marko, later acquired by Red Bull as the Red Bull Junior Team.
- Marko's close bond with Max Verstappen, whom he recognized as a future F1 star at 16, highlights their strong relationship. Speculation arises about Verstappen's future should Marko face suspension from Red Bull, given their close ties.
An 80-year-old still actively engaged, Dr. Helmut Marko, late Mateschitz's trusted confidant, holds a law doctorate earned in 1967. Marko's racing career flourished in the late sixties, culminating in victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours alongside Gijs van Lennep and establishing his prominence in the Grand Prix circuit. However, tragedy befell him in 1972 when a stone struck his left eye, resulting in the loss of vision in that eye and prompting the conclusion of his racing endeavors.
Despite the setback, Marko continued his involvement in motorsport, shifting his focus to a role as a driver manager. He guided promising talents such as Gerhard Berger and Karl Wendlinger before founding his junior team, RSM Marko, which now competes in the contemporary equivalent of Formula 2. Subsequently, Red Bull assumed control of his team, rebranding it as the Red Bull Junior Team, and appointed Marko as the advisor to the racing department and head of the training program.
Marko's Fatherly Relationship with Max Verstappen
Following an outstanding performance in Euro Formula 3 at the Norisring in the summer of 2014, Helmut Marko immediately recognized the potential of Max Verstappen, then just 16 years old. Marko wasted no time contacting Max's father, Jos, expressing his desire to see Max in Formula 1.
He offered Verstappen a Toro Rosso seat for 2015. Practice sessions were quickly arranged later that year to prepare Verstappen for the demands of Formula 1.
Here's what Marko had to say about their first meeting:
"That was in 2014 in Graz. Normally I speak with a young driver for 20, maybe 30 minutes at most, but with Max the conversation lasted two hours!
"His dedication stood out immediately. Fully focused on his racing career, he had a clear goal, Formula 1, and he had no doubt that he would succeed. You need that confidence and for me that was very unusual."
Competing in Formula 1 for Toro Rosso (now Visa Cash App RB) until 2016, Marko's utmost faith in Verstappen's ability to become a world champion elevated him to the senior team, Red Bull. Marko stated at the time:
"Max can race fast in any car. In terms of character, dedication, confidence and charisma, I would compare him to Ayrton Senna. I see Max driving at this level for at least another decade."
Verstappen also shares a similar fondness for Marko. Speaking to RacingNews365.com in 2021, Verstappen described Helmut Marko as a father figure, emphasizing their strong bond. When discussing both Marko and team principal Christian Horner, Verstappen highlighted their excellent rapport, particularly praising Marko's straightforward nature and his preference for honest communication. He said:
"Helmut is like a father to me.
"I have a very good relationship with both of them and with Helmut, he says what he thinks, is always straightforward and I like that. No bullshit stories with him.
"The rapport with Marko is just very good and so is the one with Christian. Over the years we've obviously been through so much, so it's all good. We get along very well."
Therefore, the strong bond between Verstappen and Marko raises speculation about the departure of the three-time world champion from the team in the event of Marko's suspension from Red Bull.
With the recent news of Helmut Marko's potential exit from Red Bull, if the Austrian truly does leave, this could spell a big issue with Verstappen, who's contract is reportedly connected to his mentor. If Marko leaves, Max could surely follow, leaving Red Bull in major hole.