Helmut Marko’s fresh commitment to Red Bull revealed as Max Verstappen clause removed

Helmut Marko has pledged his commitment to Red Bull Racing as the ties between the Austrian and the racing team have been strengthened.

Over the winter, Marko put pen to paper on a new three-year contract with Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of the Red Bull Racing F1 team, but the Austrian has now pledged his commitment further to the racing team.

Helmut Marko’s fresh commitment to Red Bull Racing made clear

Marko’s position is officially as a representative of GmbH as a consultant advisor to Red Bull Racing , as well as being a director of the F1 team.

Over the Hungarian weekend, the 81-year-old has made his commitment to Red Bull Racing clear until the end of 2026 in a move that unblurs the lines between himself and the racing team.

Earlier this year, it also emerged that Marko’s ongoing participation with Red Bull had implications for the future of Max Verstappen as the Dutch driver’s services were courted by Mercedes and Toto Wolff as a worthy successor for the departing Lewis Hamilton.

A rumoured clause in Verstappen’s contract, purportedly inserted by Marko through his position as team director, had allowed for the possibility of Verstappen to depart the team if Marko was no longer in his position with Red Bull.

Verstappen, who has a contract with Red Bull through until 2028, has been the subject of much speculation in recent months as Mercedes’ courting has intensified, but PlanetF1.com understands Verstappen has made his position clear to Red Bull that he intends to remain with the Milton Keynes-based squad – at least for 2025 – and the clause nullified by Marko’s fresh commitment.

The consolidation of Marko’s relationship with the F1 team could be seen as a move to restore peace in the ranks of the racing team, following the early-season controversies that threatened to divide the ranks following GmbH’s conclusion of an internal investigation into Horner’s behaviour as team boss.

To that end, shareholder Mark Mateschitz – son of the late Dietrich and owner of 49 percent of Red Bull GmbH – together with Oliver Mintzlaff, has been eager to restore peace between senior figures in the team.

According to the Dutch publication De Telegraaf , Horner is also back on speaking terms with Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, following their dispute earlier this month as Jos pulled out of a Red Bull-organised run in an RB8 at the Austrian Grand Prix. This was after Horner questioned having Verstappen in the car following comments Jos made at the height of the controversy, in which he called for the team bosses’ job.

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