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F1 News & Gossip

Max Verstappen reveals 'very emotional' talk with Red Bull chief after team exit

Helmut Marko left the team last month

Chris Deeley

Monday 19 January 2026 08:13

Max Verstappen has revealed that he had a 'very emotional' call with a key Red Bull ally after his departure from the team.

Helmut Marko was the latest in a line of senior team members to walk out the door in the last two years, following Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, and team principal Christian Horner.

Marko, along with Newey and Horner, had spent the best part of two decades as part of the team's F1 setup, officially acting as a 'senior advisor' and weighing in on a number of key driver decisions.

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He was notably close with Verstappen, with the Dutchman now admitting at the team's 2026 launch event that he plans to continue to have lunch with Marko when their paths cross.

Verstappen admits Red Bull will be different in 2026

“We had a very emotional call after Abu Dhabi. It will be a bit different. 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.”

Newbie Isack Hadjar, another driver supported by Marko in his rise through the ranks at the team, added: “Having Helmut gone is a bit sad, to be honest. I enjoyed having him in the paddock but he's still around, I still give him calls.”

With Marko known for his aggressive, sometimes brutal, driver decisions, Hadjar may enjoy a longer run alongside Verstappen than his predecessors – with Yuki Tsunoda lasting 22 races, and Liam Lawson just two.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen Helmut Marko