The Red Bull era without Helmut Marko continues to take hold in Formula 1, and Max Verstappen acknowledges that the atmosphere in the garage is no longer quite the same.
The aftermath – Marko starts at Red Bull, Verstappen acknowledges the change
Having been with the team for over two decades, the Austrian advisor left his position at the end of the 2025 season. An important chapter has closed for the Milton Keynes-based team, but also for verstappen, whose F1 career is closely linked to that of Mark.
It was indeed the Austrian who had bet on the Dutchman very early on, integrating him into the program Red Bull then offering him his chance by Formula 1 from 2015 onwards with Rosso Bull. A few years later, Verstappen would become the dominant figure in the championship, winning four consecutive world titles between 2021 and 2024.
When asked what had changed within the team since his departure, the four-time world champion acknowledged the absence of Marko This was inevitably felt in the atmosphere of the paddock.
The Dutchman notably joked about the disappearance of a very particular element of daily life at Red Bull: the famous Austrian jokes of the long-time advisor.
But despite his official departure, the bond between the two men remains strong.
Verstappen explains that he continues to keep in regular contact with Marko, even if their discussions now focus more on life in general than on the technical details of the single-seater.
After so many years together, the pilot Red Bull He acknowledges that the garage cannot be exactly the same without him. However, he insists that the team must now look to the future and focus primarily on performance.
The departure of Marko This is not, moreover, the only upheaval experienced by Red Bull in recent months. The Austrian team has also undergone a major change at its helm with the dismissal of Christian horner after the 2025 British Grand Prix.
Laurent Mekies has since resumed leadership of the team, marking the beginning of a new internal organization.
For VerstappenThese transformations ultimately gave the team a new lease of life. According to him, this type of change can sometimes be beneficial, even necessary, to start afresh.
Despite this transitional context, the Dutchman insists he remains fully committed to Red Bullwhom he still considers a second family.
The 2026 season, however, got off to a more complicated start on the track. At the championship opener in Australia, Verstappen could only manage sixth place in a particularly tight field.
Despite his criticisms of the new technical regulations of the Formula 1, Red Bull remains convinced that its star driver is more motivated than ever to reignite the battle at the top.
