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Helmut Marko: "I regret having missed Oscar Piastri"

A talent scout for champions like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, the Austrian closes a huge chapter of his life by leaving Red Bull, a chapter that began alongside Jochen Rindt. From his F1 debut on the same day as Niki Lauda to his arrival at the Red Bull team and his victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Graz native tells his story.

Published 15/12/2025 à 20:30

Cyprien Juilhard

  Comment on this article! 2

Helmut Marko: "I regret having missed Oscar Piastri"

Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

The announcement came last week. Helmut Marko has left Red Bull, the team he helped launch with Dietrich Mateschitz twenty years earlier. A choice made by "Dr Marko" himself the day after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “I haven’t discussed it with anyone, but I called Oliver Mintzlaff, the manager at Red Bull, on Monday in Dubai.”he explained to Austrian TV ORF. Even if we had won the title, it would have been a good time to leave that position. Luckily, our conversation had been recorded since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku last September, but unusually, it hadn't taken place in a car. The reason? The Austrian had rented a Classic Mercedes for sale No way he was going to be photographed with the rival brand! It was over coffee that he took the time to reflect on his career. Let's go back three months with a man who had no intention of hanging up his boots. Before this about-face, here's what he had to say…

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2 Comment (s)

B

Ben

15/12/2025 at 11:30 a.m.

An excellent driver, unfortunately deprived of a great career in F1, but also in prototypes, and one of the pillars of RBR's enormous success. What a superb career!

Yves-Henri RANDIER

15/12/2025 at 10:17 a.m.

"I regret missing out on Oscar Piastri," said good old Doktor Helmooooooout... but the Aussie certainly doesn't regret it, the McLaren fold having allowed him to grow away from the Dutch shark!

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