Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Helmut Marko has finally revealed the real reason he left Red Bull at the end of the 2025 F1 season, citing the ‘huge disappointment’ of Max Verstappen’s failure to claim a fifth consecutive title in the sport.
Max Verstappen had enjoyed the presence of Helmut Marko inside his garage throughout the entirety of his career up until now, with the Austrian being credited as the man who first identified his talent and brought him into the fold at Red Bull.
Who is the greater driver Max Verstappen or Michael Schumacher?
A huge decision , but who takes it? 👇
Last December, Marko stunned the paddock by announcing that the recently concluded F1 campaign would be his final one at Red Bull. The news came as a blow for Verstappen, who had just lost out on the drivers’ title to Lando Norris just days before.
While a clear reason was never given at the time, it was speculated that Marko’s behind-the-scenes deal with Alex Dunne, as well as his comments about Kimi Antonelli that landed him in hot water, infuriated Red Bull’s top brass.
- READ MORE: Max Verstappen has nailed why he’s exactly the same as F1 legend Michael Schumacher on track
Helmut Marko reveals the real reason he retired from Red Bull at the end of 2025
During a recent interview with Die Zeit, Marko gave a more candid reason as to why he chose to call it quits on his time at Red Bull after nearly 20 years of leading the Austrian constructor’s driver development charge.
After being asked if his departure was due to the fact that he didn’t want to engage with the younger generation, Marko gave the real reason.
“No,” he asserted, before saying, “The reason was my disappointment that we didn’t win the World Championship in 2025. I wanted to draw my own conclusions from that.”
When will Max Verstappen beat Michael Schumacher’s Formula 1 records?
Of course, the Dutchman missed out on the title by just two points in the end. Marko was reminded of that and asked if that was the actual reason.
The Austrian doubled down, “Well, it would have been our fifth World Championship in a row; only Michael Schumacher managed that at Ferrari. It was a huge disappointment.”
After being told that he could potentially still aim at securing five back-to-back titles, Marko affirmed that he just doesn’t feel the same calibre of motivation as he did in the past, replying, “Come on, I’d be nearly 90 by then!
“For the job I’ve done, you need passion; you have to be on fire. If you don’t feel that anymore, it becomes a chore.”
- READ MORE: How Max Verstappen’s first 10 Formula 1 seasons compare to Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton
Michael Schumacher remains F1’s only driver to win five consecutive drivers’ titles
While Schumacher’s record as F1’s only driver to win five consecutive drivers’ titles is safe for now, Verstappen has managed to snatch a multitude of the legendary German’s records since joining the sport in 2015.
Arguably, the most impressive record that Verstappen has now claimed for himself is the most consecutive days leading the drivers’ championship.
Schumacher’s previous benchmark of 896 days was usurped by the four-time title-winner in 2024, with Lando Norris’ win at the 2025 Australian GP seeing Verstappen fall from his perch at the top of the standings for the first time in 1,029 days.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
