Who is Helmut Marko? Meet the Red Bull F1 king maker

The Helmut Marko era in F1 is over - but what an era it was.

You don't have to look too far in this sport to find colourful characters and love him or hate him, Red Bull advisor and talent scout Marko most certainly falls into that category.

F1 will definitely be poorer in 2026 after the team confirmed on December 9 that Marko is retiring after a glorious run.

Anyone who has spent time listening to the 82-year-old Austrian over the years knows all too well the risks associated with doing so. Outspoken? That's putting it mildly.

Yet while he can always be trusted to provide a good soundbite, there is far more to Marko than meets the eye. He wouldn't have lasted so long at Red Bull otherwise.

And while he wasn't the man necessarily pulling all of the strings behind the scenes, his influence on the team's inner workings and decision-making process around their driver lineup is undoubted.

But what exactly does that entail?

Marko's rise to the top

Marko's journey in the sport began more then 50 years ago, making nine F1 race appearances before his career was curtailed at the 1972 French Grand Prix when a rock damaged his visor, leaving him blind in his left eye at the age of just 29.

He went on to manage several Austrian drivers, before linking up with Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz in 1990, who appointed Marko as his advisor.

The pair would go on to found the Red Bull Junior Team, with Marko's playing a key role in the development of championship-winning drivers including Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen over the years.

Red Bull's jack of all trades

Marko remained a central figure right through to retirement in the team's search to identify and nurture the best young talent out there.

Just this week, ahead of the upcoming Austrian GP, he was in fact credited by one of Red Bull's up-and-coming stars, Fionn McLaughlin, for his role in securing his signature.

McLaughlin revealed: "Helmut Marko came over to me and said, 'I think you're a good driver and I want you on our team'.

"He said I had potential and would take me on as far as he could in the future.

"He's a nice man and he's given me the opportunity to race in F4."

Working primarily alongside team principal Christian Horner in an advisory capacity, Marko had a say on which who gets behind the wheel, and isn't shy when it comes to sharing his opinions.

His influence in Red Bull's brutal decision to swap Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda after just two races this season was clear.

His comments in the wake of that widely criticised move said as much. Subtlety has never been his strong suit.

An intimidating figure in the background of the Red Bull garage, Marko was always a hard man to impress. Just ask Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar.

But it's a necessary requirement drivers had to fulfil if they wanted to stick around.

Which drivers did Marko discover?

It's an all-star cast - no wonder they call Marko F1's king maker.

The astonishing conveyor belt of talent he discovered at Red Bull is of course topped by a pair of four-time world champions in Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. But they are just the tip of the iceberg.

Marko and Red Bull's driver programme also brought through the following stars:

Isack Hadjar

Daniil Kvyat

Liam Lawson

Yuki Tsunoda

Alex Albon

Pierre Gasly

Carlos Sainz

Daniel Ricciardo

Sebastien Buemi

Scott Speed

Jaime Alguersuari

Brendon Hartley

Jean-Eric Vergne

Christian Klien

Vitantonio Liuzzi

Jack Doohan

Patrick Friesacher

Arvid Lindblad

Quite the roll of honour when it comes to Marko the talent scout. What a career.

READ MORE: Mercedes edge towards Max Verstappen decision after George Russell verdict

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