Berger maintains close contact with Red Bull despite Mateschitz's death

For Gerhard Berger, the death of Dietrich Mateschitz hit hard. The Austrian entrepreneur and co-founder of the Red Bull company passed away last October at the age of 78, which caused a dear friendship to disappear for Berger.

Mateschitz was considered the big man behind Red Bull Racing, which has been in Formula 1 since 2005. Berger had been in close contact with the Austrian for decades, so he had to get used to not being able to call Mateschitz in recent months, he told Speedweek.com.

"He has long been appreciated everywhere as an entrepreneur, social person and sports promoter," Berger stated. "For me, there is no longer a friend with whom I had a trusting relationship for 40 years. I could always count on him, just as he could count on me."

Close contacts Berger with Red Bull

However, it does not mean Berger has lost his contacts with the Austrians. The former Formula 1 driver is in touch with several other people within the company and expects little to change in the coming years in terms of the cooperation between them.

"First of all, I have the connection with the family, with Mark, Marion and Anita. That is the most important thing for me. I also have contact with the company. I know the key players. We are still logistics partners and I assume this cooperation will continue for a long time."