Red Bull GmbH chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff has put his religion on Helmut Marko and Christian Horner, saying of Marko that a move to Mercedes would be “out of the question” for him.
And Horner said he remains “confident” that the team will continue to succeed his leadership, with an internal investigation closed against him earlier this year.
While Max Verstappen’s long career with the team is still being discussed in the media, despite his contract until 2028 and his preference to remain at Red Bull, that hasn’t stopped Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff from saying that the reigning world champion is a target for him to upgrade Lewis Hamilton at the team next season.
With a clause in Verstappen’s deal that would allow him to leave Red Bull early if motorsport advisor Marko leaves, even with a possible switch to Mercedes if the two leave together, Mintzlaff is convinced this won’t happen.
“I think it’s out of the question,” Mintzlaff told German newspaper Bild when asked if Marko would move to Mercedes with Verstappen.
“Helmut is very close to Red Bull and we have a lot to thank him for.
“He showed the courage to give Max a Formula 1 driver position when he was 17 years old. “
And when asked about the existing scenario around Horner as team principal and CEO of Red Bull Racing, he remained unfazed in his stance as longtime team boss.
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“I’m convinced of that,” he said when asked if the team could continue to operate in the long term under Horner’s leadership.
“He has the good fortune of the team in mind and is a very smart CEO. “
Questions were raised for Red Bull following the announcement of Adrian Newey’s departure from Formula 1 at the start of 2025, having taken a step back from Formula 1 operations.
Mintzlaff thanked Newey for his contribution to the team, while also explaining his confidence in the rest of the staff, who will be able to continue building fast cars in his absence.
“Adrian has done a wonderful job here over the years and has played an important role in our winning thirteen world championship titles,” he said.
“Of course, it’s a shame that he’s leaving us, but we discussed it in a very fair and respectful dialogue. What he leaves behind is not only an exclusive legacy, but also a design he helped build.
“Of course we will miss him, also as a user, but we will still be able to build a Formula 1 car very quickly. “
It remains to be seen what effect Newey’s loss will have on Red Bull, as McLaren has gained just one driver name since his departure and Williams has suffered a similar name drought since leaving them in the 1990s.
With a major regulatory update on the horizon for the 2026 season, Red Bull is also making the decision to build its own powertrains for the first time.
Ford is involved in the commission as a partner, and work is already underway at its Milton Keynes base to prepare a new engine in time for the 2026 campaign.
While it’s a huge task, the company’s CEO hopes the team will be able to retain its place when the new cars arrive.
“We need to continue where we are now in 2026 – the most sensible time in Formula 1,” Mintzlaff said.
“Of course, there are no guarantees, but while we have shown that we can take care of primary rule changes, other groups have failed to close the hole for us over the past 3 years.
“Max will have realised that as well and that makes me absolutely positive about the future. We are preparing for 2026 since yesterday.
“Of course, building our own engine is a primary task and challenge, but we know we can master this step. This is the next step in Red Bull’s development.
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