Ralf Schumacher claims Max Verstappen ‘won’t allow’ Helmut Marko to leave Red Bull

Ralf Schumacher praised Helmut Marko for playing an active role at Red Bull even at the age of 80.

Ralf Schumacher claims Max Verstappen ‘won’t allow’ Helmut Marko to leave Red Bull

Ralf Schumacher [L] Max Verstappen [C] Helmut Marko [R] (images via IMAGO)

Dr. Helmut Marko is Red Bull’s Motorsport Consultant. The 80-year-old has held a major influence on the functioning of Red Bull’s two F1 teams. However, questions arose over Marko’s future after the death of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz. Now, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has reckoned that Max Verstappen wouldn’t let the Austrian depart Milton Keynes.

Schumacher insisted that the Austrian team still needed the duties of the 80-year-old. Moreover, the German was adamant that Max Verstappen wouldn’t let Red Bull get rid of Helmut Marko. Previously, it was reported that Verstappen had threatened Red Bull that he would leave the team if Marko was fired by the new management at Red Bull GmbH.

Red Bull still needs Helmut Marko, definitely. I can imagine that Verstappen is not going to allow him to leave either, he has already been very clear on that matter.
Ralf Schumacher told Formel 1

However, Ralf Schumacher mentioned that the time will come when Helmut Marko would want to take a break himself. The German praised the Red Bull advisor for continuing to play such an active role at Milton Keynes. Schumacher admitted that Marko’s duties remain significant for the entire Red Bull brand.

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Helmut has been going around this world for a long time and at some point, he will also start asking himself questions. I'm surprised he's still so active, deserves all respect, especially for what it means for the Red Bull brand.

Ralf Schumacher appreciates Helmut Marko’s demanding approach

Helmut Marko is known for his cut-throat approach to handling drivers in the Red Bull program. The 80-year-old leaves no room for error as junior drivers are often fired due to inconsistency. Even in Formula 1, the Red Bull advisor plays a key role in driver line-ups. Marko made the call to fire Nyck de Vries mid-way through the 2023 season to make space for Daniel Ricciardo.

Sergio Perez and Dr. Helmut Marko (image via IMAGO)
Sergio Perez and Dr. Helmut Marko (image via IMAGO)

Ralf Schumacher admitted that such an approach could be demanding on drivers. However, the 48-year-old reckoned that this might be necessary when a giant like Red Bull is investing heavily in talent. Additionally, Schumacher was convinced that Helmut Marko might be the reason behind Red Bull’s incredible success with its driver academy.

He may be quite demanding sometimes, but when you invest money in someone, it's because you expect something. Maybe staying with him there will help Red Bull deal with young talents the way he always has.

Certainly, Helmut Marko has continued to play an influential role at Milton Keynes. Despite being riddled with controversies, the 80-year-old has remained a major asset to Red Bull. Although, the energy drinks giant will reportedly limit the Austrian’s influence at AlphaTauri in 2024. Marko is still one of the most prominent figures in F1.

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