Vettel is the wrong choice to replace Marko - Stuck

A German racing great has urged Red Bull to reconsider plans to potentially appoint Sebastian Vettel as Dr Helmut Marko’s successor.

Marko, now 82, is under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2026, but speculation continues to swirl around his future, including suggestions he could leave if Max Verstappen exits and amid reported tensions with team boss Christian Horner.

Marko himself has acknowledged that Vettel, the retired four-time world champion, could be a suitable replacement. Vettel, 38, has also expressed interest in a post-driving role within Formula 1.

"I still get along really well with Helmut and we are in contact, also regarding this topic," Vettel recently told ORF. However, he stressed that the talks are "not yet intensive and in-depth."

Marko echoed that sentiment, saying: "At the moment, that's not an issue. There's no reason to get excited. At some point, of course, we'll have to think about my successor.

"There are many possible names, but nothing concrete, and no concrete discussions either."

But Hans-Joachim Stuck, a former F1 driver and respected figure in German motorsport, believes Red Bull would be making a mistake by turning to Vettel.

"I think that's completely the wrong solution," he told Eurosport Deutschland. "That's nothing against Sebastian, but he's simply not a team manager. He would never be an option for me."

Stuck, 74, argued that Vettel lacks the experience and mindset to immediately step into a demanding leadership role like Marko’s.

"A former driver can't just jump in at Helmut's level and Sebastian wouldn't be doing himself any favors by doing that, especially at this point in time.

"Sebastian ended his career for his family. As Marko's successor, he would once again be immersed in his work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In the evening, he'd go to bed thinking about it, dream about it, and wake up with it again.

"The family would be neglected in this case," Stuck concluded. "Whether he wants to go along with all of that is the big question."