Laurent Mekies was ‘annoyed’ after hearing what Helmut Marko said to Red Bull newbie Isack Hadjar

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Helmut Marko may have left Red Bull, but their driver roster for the 2026 season certainly bears his fingerprints. Isack Hadjar has been promoted to the top team, while Arvid Lindblad has broken into F1 with Racing Bulls

For Marko, these two drivers represent his last success stories. Red Bull signed Hadjar midway through 2021, while Lindblad joined the programme when he was just 13.

Hadjar showcased his enormous talent as a rookie to earn a shot alongside Max Verstappen, and the hope is that Lindblad will compete for a Red Bull seat in the long term too.

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Marko believes Hadjar and Lindblad can win races in F1. He can already take credit for bringing the likes of Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo into the sport.

Helmut Marko told Isack Hadjar he was getting a Red Bull seat in August

According to a report from Planet F1 breaking down the reasons for Marko’s departure, he started making ‘unilateral’ decisions after long-serving team principal Christian Horner was sacked in July.

One of these concerned Formula 2 driver Alex Dunne. Marko signed Dunne without the permission of the team’s hierarchy, and it cost them hundreds of thousands to back out of the deal.

What’s more, Marko told Hadjar at the Dutch GP, the race where he scored his first F1 podium, that he would be promoted to Red Bull. Publicly, the team said they wouldn’t make a decision until the end of the season.

Both Laurent Mekies and Red Bull sports boss Oliver Mintzlaff were ‘annoyed’ by Marko’s overreach. The objective of Horner’s sacking was to make the team ‘less about individuals’.

While Mekies and Mintzlaff ultimately sided with Hadjar over Yuki Tsunoda as well, it was a matter of principle.

Helmut Marko did something that was ‘unheard of’ in modern F1 before Red Bull exit

The report also points out that Marko repeatedly gave away ‘sensitive information’ in his interviews. For instance, he would often reveal details about Verstappen’s set-up to the media on a Friday.

The 82-year-old had his own way of doing things and was generally receptive to unplanned interview requests in the paddock. This meant he often spoke to the media without a press officer by his side, which is ‘almost unheard of’ in modern F1.

Indeed, when drivers visit the media pen, there is a member of staff by their side at all times.

Marko isn’t expected to take on another role in F1 now that his time at Red Bull has come to an end. Meanwhile, Mekies is likely to become more powerful after an impressive start to his tenure.