Helmut Marko reveals Max Verstappen is his “most intimate” connection

Outgoing Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko said his “most intimate” relationship with a Formula 1 driver has been with Max Verstappen, whom he believes to be improving even further.

Marko is ending a 25-year stint as Red Bull’s lead talent scout, having headed its young driver programme since 2001. Over that period, he helped promote 18 drivers to the brand’s F1 teams – including Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Verstappen.

The Dutchman is not a product of the Red Bull Junior Team per se, as he was snapped up by Marko and Christian Horner with the promise of an F1 drive as early as 2015, at just 17 years old and after only one year in single-seaters.

But Verstappen has delivered on his predicted ability with four world titles, and Marko even believes he might still have untapped potential to this day.

“The connection was certainly a very intense one, or the most intimate, I can't say,” the 82-year-old told Austrian broadcaster ORF. “But it was the closest connection I've ever had with a driver.

“And the fascinating thing was that with each passing year, Max Verstappen became faster, more mature, better. And to this day, I can't see an end to this development, even though he is already the best driver. That was the fascinating thing.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Mark Thompson / Getty Images

“We hardly ever had any differences of opinion. There were a few silly things, especially in the early stages. But the more successful he became, the simpler his approach became. He has become much calmer.

“He hardly ever has any lapses or outbursts, which were of course present in the early stages. And he has become an incredibly perfect or incredible personality for his age.”

Red Bull keeps growing its Formula 1 project as it will use its own power units from 2026 onwards in collaboration with Ford – “that’s 2,000 people” in total, Marko pointed out.

At 28 years old, Verstappen can thrive in this environment, the Austrian believes: “Max has become such a personality that, despite his relatively young age, he leads a team and can lead it the way he does.”

Marko also revealed that Verstappen missed the dinner during which his Red Bull exit was decided with sporting CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, and the Dutchman downheartedly received the news.

“Max should have been there too,” Marko said. “There were some problems with his flight, so he wasn't there.

“I called him the next day. It wasn't a normal conversation. There was a certain melancholy in the air. He said he never could have imagined that he would ever achieve such success.”

Verstappen and Red Bull are the third-most successful pairing in F1 history with 71 grand prix victories, just short of Michael Schumacher’s 72 wins with Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton’s 84 triumphs at Mercedes.

Additional reporting by Ruben Zimmermann