Helmut Marko Leaving Red Bull

[cosworth151]

And another one gone. Dr Helmut Marko is leaving red Bull Racing after 20 years. Another of the original RBR crew gone.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/dr-helmut-marko-to-leave-red-bull-motorsport-advisor-role.28NBdIbMJvsnKdRRkAWBVR

[Jericoke]

From my outsider perspective, I'd had the belief that the Marko/Verstappen axis had control over RBR

I guess that wasn't the case at all, unless that alliance fell apart once Horner was out? 

Or the owners finally got tired of Marko's BS.  (Comments bringing genuine danger to Antonelli were certainly uncalled for)

I can't say I'll miss him.  I'm a Ford girl I've been 'anti RBR' ever since they took over Jaguar (yes, I know Ford did a crap job of running an F1 team and the sport improved when they left), so it was easy to hate on Horner, Vettel, Marko and Max.  Now with Ford coming back, and Marko gone, I might even find myself pulling for the boys in blue.

[Dare]

I was under the understanding that it Marko was let go Max
would leave. I think maybe the main troublemaker has always been Max's Papa

[John S]

Although RBRs official statement says it's Marko's own choice to retire from the team there are other reports that suggest otherwise.

"Reports in the Netherlands also suggested that Marko has made questionable junior driver decisions this year that Red Bull disagreed with and had to intervene on to overturn.

This is believed to relate to whether ex-McLaren junior Alex Dunne would join the programme or not.

Sources suggest that Marko signed Dunne against the shareholders' will, so Dunne had to be paid not to join and is believed to be negotiating an Alpine deal instead."
                                        ---- --- --- --- ---

"Despite the claims in Red Bull's release, Marko's exit is no surprise given relations seemed to have cooled significantly and it was understood that both Mintzlaff and Red Bull shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya were in agreement after the Abu Dhabi finale that he should be removed."

Extracts taken longer piece by Scott Mitchell-Malm, courtesy TheRace.com, Mon 9th Dec.


Marko's end of tenure can also be interperated another way, with reference to the last para above by Scott Mitchell-Malm.
Following Horner's departure perhaps Austria's suits are enacting part 2 of cleaning house agreement.

IMHO Marko's removal may be part of price Thai joint owner, Chalerm Yoovidhya, demanded for withdrawing his support of Horner earlier in year. It's only enacted at end of season to make it easier to explain away.
 

I was under the understanding that it Marko was let go Max
would leave. I think maybe the main troublemaker has always been Max's Papa

Think you're right there Dare, Jos was allegedly having affair/relationship with the woman who is Horners accuser for sometime prior to the muck all hitting the fan.

[cosworth151]

It's part of Red Bull's plan to make themselves the new Ferrari. They want to prove they can be as Machiavellian as Maranello.

Seriously, I wondered if the Antonelli incident might have been the last straw.

I agree with Jeri about Jaguar. I'm a lifelong Ford fan I think that Jaguar F1 is one of the biggest "what might have been" stories in the history of the sport. (I also still have a ton of Jag F1 gear around the house.)

[Dare]

I wonder if many people remember Marko was a F1 driver until
the early 70's when debris pierced his visor and blinded him ending
his racing career

[Jericoke]

I wonder if many people remember Marko was a F1 driver until
the early 70's when debris pierced his visor and blinded him ending
his racing career

I knew he was a racer, didn't know he was an F1 racer.

Might qualify him as a driver manager/team advisor.  Doesn't excuse the way he talked about young drivers in public (and God knows how he was behind closed doors!)

[Dare]

I wonder if many people remember Marko was a F1 driver until
the early 70's when debris pierced his visor and blinded him ending
his racing career

I knew he was a racer, didn't know he was an F1 racer.

Might qualify him as a driver manager/team advisor.  Doesn't excuse the way he talked about young drivers in public (and God knows how he was behind closed doors!)

It's just as easy to be nice as vile. Too bad he never learned it

[John S]

I wonder if many people remember Marko was a F1 driver until
the early 70's when debris pierced his visor and blinded him ending
his racing career

I knew he was a racer, didn't know he was an F1 racer.

Might qualify him as a driver manager/team advisor.  Doesn't excuse the way he talked about young drivers in public (and God knows how he was behind closed doors!)

It's just as easy to be nice as vile. Too bad he never learned it

I've never liked the man, but in fairness when he joined F1 early on, & again later, it was a shark tank and open warfare was seen as healthy; especially amongst team owners or their sidekicks against each other, drivers and sometimes the whole world. 

[Jericoke]

I wonder if many people remember Marko was a F1 driver until
the early 70's when debris pierced his visor and blinded him ending
his racing career

I knew he was a racer, didn't know he was an F1 racer.

Might qualify him as a driver manager/team advisor.  Doesn't excuse the way he talked about young drivers in public (and God knows how he was behind closed doors!)

It's just as easy to be nice as vile. Too bad he never learned it

I've never liked the man, but in fairness when he joined F1 early on, & again later, it was a shark tank and open warfare was seen as healthy; especially amongst team owners or their sidekicks against each other, drivers and sometimes the whole world. 

I agree, Marko was a product of his time... and yet so were Lauda, plus Stewart and Andretti.  Could you imagine Jackie or Mario acting like Helmut?  Even Lauda, you feel like his comments would be abrasive, yet measured