Overview
- Red Bull confirmed on Dec. 9 that Helmut Marko stepped down after more than two decades, a year before his contract was due to end in 2026.
- Bild reports he will receive a ‘golden handshake’ roughly equal to his full 2026 salary, about €10 million, which the team positions as recognition of his tenure.
- Marko says he decided in Dubai after Abu Dhabi to leave, citing the emotional toll of a season that saw Red Bull rally from 104 points down yet lose the championship by two.
- In fresh interviews he alleges a post‑Mateschitz power struggle, asserts Christian Horner’s leadership harmed performance, and claims an earlier change would have secured Verstappen the title.
- He rejects previously reported racist comments about Mexican drivers and Sergio Pérez as fabricated by others, a denial he links to what he calls internal ‘dirty’ politics.