‘The concern is great’ – Red Bull advisor issues worrying Max Verstappen update as contract clause emerges
MAX VERSTAPPEN could leave Red Bull due to a clause in his contract, the team’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has revealed.
The reigning Formula One world champion sits third in the World Drivers Championship standings and eight points off of top spot after a disappointing sixth-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Red Bull have long suffered with pace problems compared to constructor champions McLaren, whose drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri – the winner in Bahrain – sit first and second in the drivers championship.
Verstappen had one of his greatest-ever drives in F1 to win the Japanese Grand Prix earlier this month.
But that performance was largely propped up by claiming pole position while a lack of tyre degradation and the narrow Suzuka track meant overtaking was next to impossible in the race.
Regardless, performance issues this season – which Verstappen has highlighted as balance issues making the car unpredictable on corner entry and giving it mid-corner understeer – have left the Dutchman fuming.
And it could prompt the 27-year-old to consider his future with the team.
According to BBC Sport, a clause written into his contract, which runs until 2026, says they have to provide him with a winning car or else he is free to leave.
Team advisor Marko has suggested there is currently “great concern” over Verstappen’s future in F1 with Red Bull owing to the performance issues they are facing.
Marko, 81, told Sky Germany: “The concern is great. Improvements have to come in the near future so that he has a car with which he can win again.
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“We have to create a basis with a car so that he can fight for the world championship.”
Verstappen has won four titles in a row with Red Bull but appears to have an uphill task to score an unprecedented fifth this season.
Speaking to the BBC in March, Marko said: “We have this huge motivation to achieve this fifth title.
“We also know that if we don’t deliver for Max, all the top drivers have performance clauses in their contract…
“The whole team is focused to achieve this fifth title which we didn’t make with [Sebastian] Vettel but this time there is a possibility.”
After Verstappen’s P6 finish in Bahrain, senior figures at Red Bull including team principal Christian Horner, technical director, Pierre Waché, chief engineer, Paul Monaghan and advisor Marko held a crisis meeting.
It was also reported by Sky Sport’s Ted Kravitz that Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, was seen angrily confronting Marko in the team’s garage after the race.
The Bahrain race was also underlined by two slow pit stops for Verstappen, something Red Bull are usually top of the class for.
Verstappen has been linked to both Mercedes and Aston Martin, with the latter being forced to deny a report in January suggesting they would offer the F1 ace a package worth £1billion.
With new engine and chassis regulations set to come into play in 2026, Verstappen could jump ship from Red Bull during a pivotal time for F1.
Aston Martin have recruited former Red Bull designer Adrian Newey into their ranks for the era, while Mercedes are widely accepted to currently be in the best position to take advantage of the new rules.