--- title: "Red Bull F1 Could Fire Helmut Marko This Week: Report" description: "Longtime Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko may be fired during a meeting between company executives later this week, according to a report." date: "2023-10-16" modified: "2023-10-16" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/red-bull-f1-could-fire-helmut-marko-this-week-report" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # Red Bull F1 Could Fire Helmut Marko This Week: Report ![]() *Getty* Red Bull's longtime consultant and former racing driver Helmut Marko was close with the energy drink company's founder Dietrich Mateschitz. However, Mateschitz died last year, and the remaining leadership, both at Red Bull and its [Formula 1]() team, reportedly wants the 80-year-old Marko gone, perhaps as soon as before the next race of the season. According to Brazilian outlet *[Globo]()*, a meeting will be held this week that will determine Marko's fate. Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing's team principal and CEO, has been more involved with running Red Bull's sister team AlphaTauri, which has long been Marko's bag. Horner was directly involved with the hiring of [AlphaTauri's]() new CEO and team principal and he's said to want to move on from the team's driver [Yuki Tsunoda](), which would lose the team $10 million from [Honda]() and potentially hurt the relationship between both brands. ![]() **Christian Horner (left) with Helmut Marko* | *Getty** It seems Horner wants more control of the Red Bull F1 team, as well as more say in AlphaTauri, without Marko's input. However, it isn't just Horner. Marko is said to also face opposition from new Red Bull executive Oliver Mintzlaff. Marko certainly did not help his case recently when he made racist comments about Red Bull Racing driver [Sergio Perez.]() "Let’s remember that \[Perez\] is South American and so he is not as focused as Max Verstappen or Sebastian Vettel was," Marko said of the six-time race winner during a television interview last month. While Marko has since apologized, the damage was done. When Horner was asked about Marko's remarks, he made it very clear that Marko isn't actually part of Red Bull Racing, but rather a consultant for its parent company, Red Bull GmbH. "He's not an employee. He's not on the payroll of Red Bull Racing," [said Horner](). ![]() **Sergio Perez (left) with Helmut Marko* | *Getty** The meeting later this week ahead of the next round at Circuit of the Americas in Texas will supposedly determine Marko's fate, but it doesn't look good for the 80-year-old Austrian. Not only does it seem that the leadership at Red Bull wants him out, but he's also facing public backlash over his comments. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()