Sam Bird now shares what he’s heard has really upset Red Bull chief Helmut Marko

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McLaren Formula E driver Sam Bird has shared what he’s heard about Red Bull chief Helmut Marko.

Helmut Marko is one of the key figures at Red Bull and has had a huge influence on the careers of many drivers who have competed for the team in F1 over the last 20 years.

Speaking on The Chequered Flag Podcast, he’s now shared one thing that’s really upset the 80-year-old.

Bird shares what he’s heard has upset Marko at Red Bull

Helmut Marko was a talented endurance racing driver but his time in Formula 1 was fleeting.

After 10 Grand Prix in the 1970s, his racing career ended after he was permanently blinded in his left eye at the French Grand Prix in 1972.

He turned to managing racing drivers including Gerhard Berger and Karl Wendlinger before starting his own Formula 3 and Formula 3000 team.

However, he’s best known for overseeing the Red Bull driver development programme, helping the careers of the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen take off.

He’s known for being an incredibly harsh critic, with Daniil Kvyat sharing his experiences with the Austrian.

Red Bull were on top of the world last year, but Bird believes that Marko isn’t pleased with his position in the team right now.

The 80-year-old is still on the lookout for the best young talent to bring into Formula 1, but might not be for much longer.

Helmut Marko’s Red Bull future could be in doubt

Speaking about Marko’s position within the organisation, Bird said: “I mean, I’ve heard that Helmut Marko is contractually with Red Bull, but am I right in saying that that contract is [until] the end of the year?

“He’s not happy about that. That’s what I’ve heard, that has really upset him that that was up after one year and him and Christian [Horner] are really clashing now is what I’ve heard.

“He doesn’t have an ally in Christian anymore and Christian certainly doesn’t have an ally in him.”

Marko only being offered a one-year contract by Red Bull as Bird suggests means he might be under as much pressure as some of the drivers on the grid when it comes to his future.

He had a hand in two big decisions made within the team in 2023.

Firstly, he played his part in Daniel Ricciardo replacing Nyck de Vries after the Dutchman’s F1 career came to an end after 10 races.

He then had to let Liam Lawson know that despite his impressive performances deputising for the injured Australian he wouldn’t be racing for V-CARB in 2024.

Red Bull couldn’t have ended 2023 in a stronger position but suddenly there’s a bit of indecision around the team.

It will be fascinating to see if they’re still far out in front of the rest of the pack during pre-season testing next week.