According to a German media outlet, Helmut Marko would have received a significant severance package accompanied by a confidentiality clause preventing him from speaking publicly until the end of the year.
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Helmut Marko’s departure from Red Bull continues to fuel speculation. According to German journalist Ralf Bach, the former advisor to the Austrian team would have received 8 million euros as part of his departure, in exchange for a particularly strict confidentiality agreement.
Information reported by f1-insider.com, which states that Marko would not be allowed to give interviews before the end of 2026.
A confidentiality clause until the end of 2026
According to Ralf Bach, this severance package would come with a clause aimed at preventing Helmut Marko from speaking publicly about Red Bull.
“The new Red Bull management, led by Oliver Mintzlaff, would have paid 8 million euros to erase the last remnants of the free expression philosophy established by Dietrich Mateschitz.”
Still according to the journalist, this confidentiality clause would prevent the Austrian from giving any interviews until the end of the year.
“A confidentiality clause was included in his departure agreement. Helmut Marko must not give any interviews until the end of 2026.”
At this stage, Red Bull has not confirmed this information.
A very different Red Bull since Mateschitz’s passing
Ralf Bach believes the team has changed profoundly since the death of its founder, Dietrich Mateschitz.
According to him, Red Bull built its success on an atypical corporate culture, giving its leaders great freedom of expression.
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“Under Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull was an atypical, bold, and uncompromising company. Since his passing, the team has changed profoundly.”
The journalist is also very critical of the new management represented by Laurent Mekies and Gwen Lagrue, who is expected soon to take the reins of the Red Bull Junior program.
He describes a management style more focused on communication than on sporting performance.
Schumacher highlights Marko’s absence
Still according to Ralf Bach, several major departures – such as those of Adrian Newey, Rob Marshall, or Jonathan Wheatley – have weakened Red Bull’s sporting project.
He also states that Max Verstappen would remain with the team in 2027 mainly due to a lack of a truly credible alternative, before possibly considering a departure later on.
For his part, former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes that Helmut Marko’s absence is already being felt within the team.
“Helmut Marko is missed everywhere, not just in interviews.”
These claims should, however, be taken with caution. To date, neither Red Bull nor Helmut Marko have confirmed the existence of such an agreement or any confidentiality clause.
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