Max Verstappen took to Instagram to pay tribute to Helmut Marko after Red Bull announced that the long-serving advisor will step away from his role at the end of 2025. The 4x world champion thanked Marko and expressed gratitude for believing in him.Marko has officially left Red Bull after 20 years as senior advisor to the outfit and also heading the junior program through which drivers like Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel have come. The 82-year-old has explained that he felt the time was right for him to step away at the end of the calendar year.Now, Max Verstappen shared his reaction to the news and wrote on Instagram:"Thank you, Helmut 🙏 We’ve achieved everything we ever dreamed of together. I’m forever grateful for your belief in me 🙌" View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMarko joined the Red Bull Racing stable upon the team's debut in 2005 and was a pivotal part of building one of the most successful F1 outfits of the 21st century. During his two-decade-long stint, the Austrian team achieved eight drivers' and six constructors' titles across three different eras of the sport.The Red Bull academy, led by Marko, has given several drivers who have eventually made it onto the F1 grid, including Verstappen, Vettel, and Daniel Ricciardo. On the current grid, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, Isack Hadjar, and Alex Albon are some of the other drivers Marko mentored in their early days.Max Verstappen joined Red Bull in 2014 largely due to Marko's influence, and the Dutchman has often alluded to how important the Austrian has been in his journey to F1.Max Verstappen's Red Bull future not affected by Helmut Marko's exit: ReportsMax Verstappen and Helmut Marko at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Source: GettyMax Verstappen is not looking for a move away from Red Bull now that close ally Helmut Marko is leaving at the end of 2025, Erik van Haren has reported. It was previously believed that the pair's futures could be linked, but the driver was happy with the team at the moment.Van Haren has reported that Verstappen was delighted with the direction new boss Laurent Mekies and Oliver Mintzlaff have taken Red Bull in, since the departure of former boss Christian Horner in July.The Dutch journalist claimed that if the Milton Keynes-based team could deliver a competitive car next year, Verstappen would be more than happy to stay put and potentially end his career at the team as well.If Red Bull is not competitive in 2026, the 28-year-old's future will remain uncertain even though he has a contract with the team until 2028. It is largely believed that the 71-time race winner could have a whole host of options heading into 2027, if he decides to leave his team after reviewing the pecking order in F1's new era.