The historic adviser will leave a year before the end of his contract and will receive his full 2026 salary under a 'golden handshake' agreement
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Helmut Marko will close a key chapter in the recent history of Formula 1. At 82 years old, Red Bull's star advisor will leave his position at the end of the 2025 season, but he will still receive the salary corresponding to 2026, a compensation that will be around 10 million euros, according to the German newspaper Bild.
The Austrian executive's departure will take place a year before his contract ends, which is valid until the end of 2026. According to the published information, the decision was made by Marko himself and will be accompanied by a severance agreement under the scheme known as "golden handshake", a formula commonly used at Red Bull to recognize the career and achievements of its top executives.
Marko recibirá su salario de 2026 por el esquema de "apretón de manos de oro"
Marko has been part of the team since its founding in 2005 and became a central figure within the Milton Keynes structure. For two decades, he was responsible for the driver development program, a talent pool that brought 16 drivers to the top tier. From there, prominent names emerged such as Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, both four-time world champions, as well as renowned drivers like Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly, among others.
The former driver, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, explained his decision with an emotional message: "It has been a wonderful period in which I was able to shape the project. Everything we built and achieved together is a source of great pride for me". Even in his farewell, Marko left a sign of support for the team's future: "I sincerely hope it continues to achieve success and I'm convinced that next year it will once again fight for both titles".
Thus, Red Bull is preparing to say goodbye to one of the most influential figures in its history, while Marko brings to a close a journey of more than six decades linked to elite motorsport.
