Max Verstappen has promised to ensure he "has lunch" with Helmut Marko whenever he can after an "emotional call" upon the Austrian's Red Bull departure.
Marko stepped down from his position as Red Bull's motorsport advisor after the 2025 season, bringing to an end his long association with the team and partnership with Verstappen.
It was Marko who signed Verstappen to the Red Bull junior programme, handed him his F1 debut in 2015, before promoting him to the senior team in 2016.
Verstappen has won all of his 71 grands prix and four titles alongside Marko, with the Dutchman fiercely loyal to Marko, even indicating that he would leave the team if the veteran was forced out not of his own will.
Marko has now stepped down, with Verstappen recalling a "emotional" conversation with his mentor in the immediate aftermath of the final race in Abu Dhabi, where he missed out on the world championship by just two points to Lando Norris.
"We had a very emotional call after Abu Dhabi,” Verstappen told Sky Sports News at Red Bull's launch.
"It will be a bit different [without him, but] all good things come to an end at some point.
"We’ll see each other around anyway. If I’m going to Graz, we’ll have lunch together!
"We have achieved so many great things together that will always stay on our minds."
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