Red Bull stalwart Helmut Marko, who helped bring through Max Verstappen, will leave at the end of the year after years of service

Helmut Marko is set to depart Red Bull when the current season concludes, according to reports emerging from the Formula One paddock.

The 82-year-old Austrian has served as the Milton Keynes outfit’s motorsport adviser for many years, becoming one of the most influential figures in the sport.

The veteran executive will reportedly leave before the 2026 campaign begins, despite holding a contract that extends through next season.

His exit would represent a substantial loss for the team, given his pivotal role in shaping Red Bull’s driver development programme and strategic direction.

Helmut Marko, 82, will leave Red Bull at the end of the year| REUTERS

Red Bull’s chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff is reportedly viewing next year as an opportunity for a fresh start for the organisation.

Speaking at the Yas Marina Circuit following the season finale, Marko indicated he would be contemplating his future over the coming weeks.

“It’s not in doubt, I will have a discussion and then I see what I do,” he stated. “It’s a complex [set] of different things. I have to sleep over it and then we will see.”

The Austrian maintained that any decision regarding his position would ultimately be his own to make.

However, reports say that the matter has already been settled internally, with Marko’s departure now considered a foregone conclusion.

Helmut Marko is a close ally of Max Verstappen’s after helping him become Red Bull’s main man | PA

German publication BILD has also reported on the impending change at the energy drinks giant’s racing operation.

Marko and Max Verstappen have long shared an exceptionally close bond, with the four-time world champion previously declaring he would follow the Austrian out of the door should he depart.

Those remarks came during last year’s turbulent period when Marko’s position appeared under threat amid internal power struggles within the team.

Verstappen described the veteran adviser as an “important pillar” of the organisation, adding that his exit would “not be good” for his own future.

“So, for me, Helmut has to stay, for sure,” the Dutchman concluded at the time.

Nevertheless, paddock sources now indicate that Marko’s departure will not influence Verstappen’s plans, with the competitiveness of Red Bull’s 2026 machinery being the determining factor in whether he remains beyond his current contract.

Red Bull find themselves in a period of considerable upheaval following the dismissal of Christian Horner as team principal and chief executive after the British Grand Prix in July.

Helmut Marko has been a major part of Red Bull’s operation since 2005 | REUTERS

Laurent Mekies has since assumed command of the operation, overseeing what promises to be a challenging transition period.

The Frenchman acknowledged over the Abu Dhabi weekend that several “difficult decisions” awaited the team this winter.

“Helmut has been incredible in how supportive he has been in helping us turning around things this year,” Mekies told therace.com.

He added that Formula One demands constant organisational adjustments, noting: “You always adjust your organisations. It applies to technical, it applies to sporting.”

The Milton Keynes squad will debut their own power units next season.