Former longstanding Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has claimed that Max Verstappen is “practically running the team,” due to his overall personal development.
The Dutchman has earned himself the status as one of the sport’s greatest modern era drivers, having won the World Championship four years on the bounce.
And he even nearly managed to retain it at the climax of 2025, losing by just two points, despite having been 104 points behind with a third of the season left.
It came amid a tumultuous period for the Milton Keynes-based squad, with Christian Horner being unceremoniously axed in favour of Racing Bulls counterpart Laurent Mekies.
But the team was able to galvanise itself after the summer break, and Verstappen began a mesmeric run that saw him win six of the remaining nine races.
And during the season, Verstappen also reached a huge milestone off the track, as he and long-term partner Kelly Piquet welcomed their daughter Lily.
Speaking to F1-Insider, Marko revealed that the personal stability Verstappen now has is contributing to a level of strength that means he wields such influence within the Red Bull team.
“Max has become such a leader now, he doesn’t need advice anymore – he’s practically running the team,” he said.
“Max is now a father, has cats and dogs, a balanced life – and is clearly one of the greats in motorsport, if not the greatest.
“But he has developed to such an extent that he no longer needs guidance. It would be presumptuous of me to add anything to that. In that sense, it’s a good solution.”
Verstappen’s quest to reclaim his title commences next week, as he and Red Bull begin pre-season testing in Barcelona.
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