Racing
© Morio
Helmut Marko’s first public response to his Amsterdam meeting with Jos Verstappen and Raymond Vermeulen has done nothing to clear up Max Verstappen’s plans, leaving Red Bull’s biggest 2027 question unresolved ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.
A photo published last week showed Marko sitting with Verstappen’s father Jos and his manager Vermeulen on a terrace in Amsterdam. Reports from De Telegraaf and other outlets said the meeting immediately fueled speculation that Verstappen’s camp was discussing the world champion’s next move.
Marko, though, refused to explain the gathering when he returned to Austria. Speaking to GPblog, the former Red Bull Racing consultant said: “My visit was private, if that’s what you want to ask.” Pressed on Verstappen’s future, he added: “I have no idea. I’m no longer in charge.”
He gave a similar response to oe24, again framing the trip as personal rather than political. Marko said it was “a private visit that had been arranged some time ago,” adding that he visits the Verstappens once a year and noting that Jos Verstappen’s daughter is married. Even so, the explanation stopped short of addressing whether the meeting touched on Max Verstappen’s options for 2027.
That silence matters because it marks a clear change in Marko’s public stance. He has long been one of the most candid voices around Red Bull’s internal workings and Verstappen’s position within the team. This time he distanced himself not only from the Amsterdam meeting but from Red Bull’s wider situation, telling GPblog: “That’s none of my business either. You need to ask Laurent (Mekies, Red Bull team boss).”
He also said he does not expect to return to the Formula 1 paddock this season. “I will not go to any Grand Prix this year,” Marko said.
The uncertainty around Verstappen has only grown since Silverstone, where he retired with a rear-wing problem. Reports said the competitive fallout from that result could leave him in a position to activate an exit clause in his Red Bull contract if he chooses, which is why a private meeting in Amsterdam has become a significant talking point in the driver market.