Helmut Marko has never been shy with his words. But even by his standards, his latest verdict on Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s 2025 Formula 1 season lands like a thunderclap. After a painful weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Marko admits Red Bull’s title hopes are over and says a world championship for Verstappen this year is simply not on the table.

For a team that has dominated modern F1 and a driver many see as the fastest of his generation, that is a brutal public reset. It also comes just as Marko’s own long Red Bull chapter edges towards its final pages, with confirmation he will leave the team at the end of 2025.

Marko’s Stark Call: Verstappen’s 2025 Title Bid Is “No Longer Realistic”

Speaking after Red Bull’s struggles at the Hungarian GP, Marko was clear and direct. According to his comments, he believes that, based on the team’s current form and car performance, “a world title for Max Verstappen in 2025 is no longer realistic.” He pointed to an inferior package and setup problems as key reasons for the downturn.

The Hungarian Grand Prix is described as a decisive moment. Verstappen, who has made a habit of dragging even tricky cars to impressive results, could manage only ninth. For a driver used to fighting for wins or at least podiums, that kind of finish underlines how far Red Bull have slipped in the current fight.

From Marko’s point of view, this race did not just hurt their points total. It seemed to close the chapter on any realistic 2025 F1 championship push. When an internal figure as experienced as Marko effectively waves the white flag, it sends a message that goes far beyond a single bad Sunday.

“If Marko says the title is gone, how worried should Max fans really be?”

Red Bull’s 2025 Problems: From Setup Struggles to Big Picture Doubts

Red Bull’s issues are not described as a one-off. The Hungarian GP is highlighted as the moment where it all came to a head, but the underlying story is bigger: car sensitivity, setup windows that seem too narrow, and rivals catching up or even passing them on pure performance.

When Marko talks about an “inferior” package, it is a strong admission. For years, the narrative was simple: give Verstappen a good car and he will do the rest. Now, the combination is no longer dominant, and the margins at the front of F1 are razor-thin. A car that is half a step out of place can drop a champion from pole position to the middle of the pack.

Even so, this is not a total collapse. Verstappen has still done enough across the season to meet a key clause in his contract: he is at least third in the standings. That single detail may prove crucial for what comes next.

Inside Verstappen’s Contract: The Exit Clause That Keeps Everyone Guessing

One of the most fascinating pieces in this puzzle is Verstappen’s reported exit clause. As reported, his Red Bull contract gives him the option to leave if he is not at least third in 2025. Marko has already stated that this benchmark has been reached, which means, on paper, that Verstappen does not have to use that escape route.

But the existence of the clause alone says a lot. It shows that both sides understood how fast things can change in F1. A project that looks unbeatable one year can be under real pressure the next. Having that safety net gives Verstappen leverage and flexibility if he ever feels Red Bull can no longer match his ambitions.

Right now, the sporting condition has been satisfied. Verstappen is at least third, even in a season that Marko views as a lost title fight. That creates a strange tension: results are still strong enough to meet the contract targets, but not strong enough to meet the expectations of a serial champion and his team.

“Max in a not-so-great car is still a monster. That might scare Red Bull more than anyone else.”

Marko’s Red Bull Exit: End of an Era in 2025

On top of the on-track story, there is a major off-track shift coming. Red Bull have confirmed that Helmut Marko will leave the team at the end of 2025. He insists it is his own decision, shaped by the emotional impact of a tightly fought season and a near-miss in the championship.

In a video message, Marko explained that “narrowly missing out on the world championship this season has moved me deeply and made it clear that now is the right moment for me to personally end this very long, intense…” chapter with Red Bull. Even with the unfinished sentence, the meaning is obvious: after decades at the core of the Red Bull project, Marko feels this is the right time to step away.

However, talk around his departure is not quiet. Rumours link his decision to behind-the-scenes drama, including stories about Irish talent Alex Dunne and his contract situation within the Red Bull junior system. While those rumours are not fully detailed in the available reports, their presence adds spice to an already unstable moment.

Marko has long been the tough, sometimes ruthless, guardian of Red Bull’s driver pipeline. If his exit is partly tied to disagreements over young driver contracts, that would fit a pattern: internal battles over who the team backs now and who they plan to build around next.

Verstappen and Marko: Honest Talks and Surprising Realisations

Another revealing piece of this story is how Marko describes his recent conversations with Verstappen about leaving Red Bull. He says he “never expected” what he realised after talking with the Dutchman about the idea of moving on. That suggests their discussions opened Marko’s eyes to just how open Verstappen might be to change, or how he views his long-term future.

For years, the pair have been closely linked. Marko pushed hard to bring Verstappen into F1 as a teenager and backed him through highs and lows. If even Marko is surprised by Verstappen’s position, that underlines how fluid things may be behind closed doors.

Verstappen has spoken before about how important it is to keep the right people together at Red Bull. As far back as 2024, he stressed that the group around him – engineers, senior figures, trusted voices – was a huge part of the success. Marko leaving removes one of those long-standing pillars, and it is fair to ask what that means for Verstappen’s sense of stability.

“First Newey goes, now Marko is next. How long before Max wonders what’s left of the old Red Bull?”

What About Lando Norris and the 2025 F1 Title Talk?

Adding to the noise, social media has been full of bold claims about the 2025 title fight, including posts that present Lando Norris as the confirmed 2025 world champion and put dramatic words in Marko’s mouth. Some captions mention a two-point title margin, call Hungary the decisive blow, or quote Marko as saying Verstappen is in “a better category” than Norris but too dependent on his car.

Based on current searches and reporting, those details are not backed up by solid sources. No major outlet has confirmed Norris as 2025 champion, and the exact quotes and numbers shared in those posts do not appear in the available articles or videos. They look, at best, like speculation mixed with partial facts.

This matters because F1 is a sport where every quote can set off waves of reaction. When fan posts or Instagram captions blur the line between opinion and verified news, they can twist the real story. Here, the verified core is clear:

• Marko has said Red Bull’s 2025 title hopes are over.
• He will leave Red Bull at the end of 2025.
• Verstappen’s contract includes an exit clause linked to his position in 2025, and he has met that condition.
• Marko was surprised by what he learned from Verstappen when talking about leaving.

Anything beyond that – especially detailed claims about Norris’s supposed 2025 championship, a two-point margin, or long, glowing quotes – should be treated with care until backed by strong reporting.

Where This Leaves Red Bull, Verstappen and F1’s Future

So, where does all of this leave Red Bull and Max Verstappen as the 2025 F1 season moves on?

On the track, Red Bull still have a driver good enough to win races even when the car is not the class of the field. But the days of expecting a title every year look over, at least in Marko’s eyes. Rivals have caught up, the margin for error has vanished, and the Hungarian GP showed how ugly things can get when the setup window is missed.

Off the track, Marko’s planned exit at the end of 2025 adds another layer of uncertainty. A figure who shaped Red Bull’s identity from the start is walking away just as the team faces one of its biggest competitive tests. How the team manages that handover – and how Verstappen feels about it – could shape the next era of F1.

For now, Verstappen remains under contract, his key performance clause satisfied. But as F1 history shows, contracts are only part of the story. Ambition, trust, and faith in the project matter just as much.

If Marko is right and the 2025 title is gone, the real question becomes bigger: can Red Bull convince their superstar that this is just a dip, not the end of their time at the top?