Mercedes takes both

Will Verstappen go with Marko? Saturday crisis summit

Helmut Marko (left) and Max Verstappen

(Bild: APA/AFP/JOHN THYS)

Things are going haywire at Red Bull! Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko spoke of his departure on the sidelines of the qualifying session for the Saudi Arabian GP. The crisis summit with Oliver Mintzlaff will take place on Saturday, after which the Styrian will decide what to do next. In any case, world champion Max Verstappen immediately jumped to his mentor's side. Thanks to an exit clause, he could also leave Red Bull - if Marko leaves. Mercedes is already showing interest.

Ultimately, I'll decide for myself what to do. It's such a complex issue," said Marko in an interview with ORF after it became known that Red Bull had launched an investigation into the Styrian. The accusation: Marko was the man who leaked these chat messages between Christian Horner and the employee and passed them on to the press. A suspension could therefore follow on Monday.

There is a huge crisis at Red Bull Racing. Oliver Mintzlaff (l.) calls for a crisis summit.

(Bild: GEPA pictures, Photoshop)

"Everything has to be right for me to continue working"
On Saturday, Marko will therefore have a meeting with his superior Oliver Mintzlaff, the responsible managing director at Red Bull. Marko confirmed this on the TV channel Sky. "Everything has to be right for me to want to continue working there." Verstappen expressed his surprise at going public. "I didn't expect that. Without him in the team, I think there will be a problem. For myself too, because I've always had a lot of trust in Helmut and that's good for both sides. You can't forget what he has built up together with Dietrich," said the world champion.

Helmut Marko, Max Verstappen and Christian Horner

(Bild: 2023 Getty Images)

"I have great respect for Helmut. What we have achieved together goes back a long way, and my loyalty to him is great. I have always said that to everyone in the team. He is an important part of my decisions, also with regard to the future of the team. It is very important that he stays in the team."

When asked whether Verstappen would stand in for Marko, the Dutchman replied: "Absolutely." We will see next week, he said. "I have said every year, as everyone at Red Bull knows, that Helmut always has to be there for me," said Verstappen, otherwise there "might be a big problem in the team".

Exit clause
It only became known at the beginning of the week that Verstappen has a Marko clause. Verstappen's contract with Red Bull actually runs until the end of 2028, but the 26-year-old Dutchman apparently negotiated a clause for his last extension in 2022 that would release him from the contract at the end of each season if Marko leaves the team. After all, Marko is Verstappen's discoverer and first sponsor. Thanks to him, the triple champion was given a place in Formula 1 at the age of 17.

Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff

(Bild: APA/AFP/Lillian SUWANRUMPHA, APA/Ferenc ISZA, krone.at-kreativ)

Mercedes is already showing interest. According to Toto Wolff, Marko could take Niki Lauda's old seat. "We're missing our old mascot anyway. Then we'll just take Helmut. He's the right age. He doesn't have a red cap, but then he'll join us," grins Wolff. And regarding Verstappen's involvement, the Viennese says: "I have a good relationship with Jos (Verstappen, note) and Max. But that doesn't mean that we would see a change on the professional side in the short term. But of course he is always a topic."