Helmut Marko is chasing an F1 rival he’s wanted at Red Bull for years now that Christian Horner is gone

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Helmut Marko now has the final say on Red Bull’s driver decisions. And he’s reportedly going after a driver he’s wanted alongside Max Verstappen since 2023.

Previously, Marko had to reach an agreement with Christian Horner on Red Bull’s driver plans. But Horner’s sacking in July has made the Austrian more powerful.

Laurent Mekies indicated that Marko will make the decisions this year. The team still aren’t completely set on who should fill three of the four seats they control.

According to Autosport Web, Marko will consult with Mekies rather than proceeding unilaterally, but he ultimately wields the power. He has the backing of Red Bull GmbH.

Helmut Marko resumes his pursuit of Alex Albon post-Christian Horner

It emerged this week that Red Bull have reopened talks with Alex Albon. Albon made his F1 debut for Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls) in 2019 and was promoted to the top team midway through the year.

He didn’t look ready for a seat of that magnitude and was dropped at the end of 2020. But since returning with Williams a couple of years later, he’s rebuilt his reputation and is now regarded as one of F1’s finest midfield drivers.

Marko approached Albon about replacing Sergio Perez in 2023, as well as last year, but Horner prioritised the Mexican. With Yuki Tsunoda set to lose his seat, the Thai is back on the radar as a left-field alternative to Isack Hadjar.

Red Bull shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya could buy Albon out of his Williams deal, which runs until the end of next year. Marko regrets not giving the driver enough ‘support’ during his first stint and is now trying to convince him to come back.

Why Alex Albon is ‘extremely reluctant’ to rejoin Red Bull

A recent report claimed that Albon would only leave Williams to join Red Bull. But Autosport Web read the situation differently.

They say that Albon has been ‘extremely reluctant’ to make the move, with ‘sources close’ to the 29-year-old indicating that he’s ‘determined to stay with Williams’. He’s ‘comfortable’ at Grove and excited about a project that will be powered by the highly-rated Mercedes engine.

Albon is confident that Williams can challenge the works team, and even fellow customers McLaren, under the new rules. There’s an atmosphere of uncertainty around Red Bull, who will be swapping Honda engines for their first in-house power unit.

Finally, Albon knows he could ‘ruin’ his reputation if he struggles alongside Verstappen again. He’s spent years repairing it and dreads the thought of losing the drive to Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad in 2027.