HELMUT MARKO SIGNED LINDBLAD AND DUNNE WITHOUT RED BULL’S PERMISSIONS
Helmut Marko has been fired from the Red Bull Formula 1 team after taking unwanted actions throughout the 2025 season.
As reported by limburger.nl, Helmut Marko has been kicked out from the Austrian team, but what are the main reasons behind it?
The Story
Christian Horner had been fired from Red Bull earlier this year, with the goal of creating a peaceful environment inside a team that was slowly falling apart. Key figures who left Red Bull Racing in recent times include legendary designer Adrian Newey, Team Principal Christian Horner, Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley, Chief Mechanic Lee Stevenson, alongside marketing chief Oliver Hughes.
Before Horner was fired, Helmut Marko started acting as if he was the one in charge at Red Bull, especially during the tense period with the British team principal. During that time, Marko made several major decisions on his own, decisions that ended up costing Red Bull some money.
At first, in the summer, he signed Arvid Lindblad for Racing Bulls without waiting for approval from Red Bull. No official decision had been made, but he went ahead anyway. Later that year, he also signed another young driver, the Formula 2 title contender Alexander Dunne, even though the shareholders team boss Laurent Mekies and Mintzlaff had already agreed that Dunne would not join the Red Bull program. Still, Marko secretly signed him.
Red Bull’s management was extremely angry, they told Marko to cancel the contract immediately. Dunne was never shown as a Red Bull driver, but he still received a large payout. Red Bull reportedly had to spend approximately €500,000 to undo the deal.
Alex Dunne had left the Mclaren because of lack of space in Formula 1 and because Helmut Marko wanted him. Red Bull cancelled his contract and now Dunne finds himself with no academy, although he has been approached by Alpine.
Then, about a week ago, Marko caused more trouble by accusing young Italian driver Kimi Antonelli of helping Lando Norris in the championship. Marko claimed Antonelli had purposely let Lando Norris pass at the Qatar Grand Prix, giving Norris two extra points on his way to the title win. Marko later apologized after Red Bull pressured him, but the harm was already done, Antonelli received more than a thousand threats online, including death ones.
Red Bull had fired Horner in the summer hoping things would calm down within the racing department, and for the most part, they did. But Marko continued to create problems. By letting him go now, Red Bull hopes this will finally bring peace to the team.
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