Helmut Marko claims Max Verstappen would have won the 2025 F1 championship if Christian Horner had been fired sooner

Helmut Marko has claimed Max Verstappen would have won the 2025 F1 title had Red Bull acted earlier in removing Christian Horner. The remark came after announcing his own decision to step away at the end of the season, following a turbulent year inside the Milton Keynes-based team.

Horner was removed from his role at Red Bull earlier this year following a prolonged internal investigation and a poor run of form for the team. Laurent Mekies was promoted to the senior role during the summer, and Verstappen’s results improved immediately after the change.

Max Verstappen won three consecutive races from pole and finished on the podium in each of the final seven races of the season. That brought him back into championship contention after trailing Oscar Piastri by more than 100 points during the summer break. Verstappen ultimately lost the title to Lando Norris by just two points in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to De Telegraaf, Helmut Marko was asked whether Horner’s dismissal felt like a personal victory after months of tension inside the organization.

“No. We had to do something because our on-track performance was lagging. Had we done that sooner, by the way, we would have gotten things back on track faster this year, and Max would have become world champion. I'm absolutely convinced of that.”

The improvement Max Verstappen delivered under Mekies was stark. He won six of the final eight races and consistently pressured the McLarens, who had controlled much of the season. The late surge came after significant floor upgrades and changes in the RB21.

Red Bull owner, Chalerm Yoovidhya (C), with Christian Horner and Helmut Marko. Source: Getty

The longtime Red Bull motorsport advisor also reflected on the internal power struggles that emerged after the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz in late 2022. Mateschitz, who co-founded Red Bull Racing alongside Helmut Marko in 2005, represented what he described as the “Austrian side” of the organization. After Mateschitz’s passing, influence shifted toward Horner with the backing of majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya.

Marko admitted the final years working alongside Horner were deeply uncomfortable.

“Those last years with Horner weren't pleasant. Dirty tricks were played. Do you remember me saying, back in the Sergio Pérez era, that Mexicans are less focused than the Dutch or Germans? That was fabricated, perhaps even by them. Just like I supposedly said in 2024 that our engine development was behind schedule and that we would therefore lose Ford as our sponsor... Horner wanted to use that to get me suspended,” Marko added.

While Helmut Marko’s public clashes and controversial remarks have drawn criticism, his departure was also influenced by internal disagreements over driver management. Reports suggested Red Bull had to intervene in several junior driver decisions this year, including a failed attempt to sign former McLaren junior Alex Dunne, a situation that reportedly required financial compensation.

Those incidents, combined with the Qatar Grand Prix backlash after his comments about Kimi Antonelli, further strained relations and contributed to Marko’s exit at the end of 2025.

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Helmut Marko reflects on Max Verstappen’s rise as his defining achievement in Red Bull

Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing after the Italian GP. Source: Getty

Helmut Marko’s tenure at Red Bull spanned more than two decades and reshaped the team’s identity. As the architect of the Red Bull Junior Team, he played a central role in promoting Sebastian Vettel and later fast-tracking Max Verstappen into Formula 1 straight out of Formula 3 in 2015.

Asked what he considered his proudest achievement, Marko pointed to Verstappen’s career:

“Actually, everything Max has achieved. That he was able to become world champion multiple times in not the best car. That he beat Lewis Hamilton in 2021. That we achieved the most wins in a single season in 2023. That Max performed immediately and won his first race after I put him in the Red Bull. There are so many. As Max and I said on the phone: we never could have dreamed we would achieve this together.”

Marko also revealed that plans to celebrate together in Dubai were postponed after Max Verstappen was unable to travel on medical advice, which also caused him to miss the FIA Awards ceremony.

As Red Bull prepares for the 2026 regulation reset, Max Verstappen enters a new chapter without two figures who shaped his entire F1 career - Christian Horner and Helmut Marko. With a new car, new rules, and the number one plate now carried by Lando Norris, Red Bull’s future direction remains a central storyline heading into the next era of Formula 1.

Edited by Mitali