At halftime of the Formula 1 season, rumors surround a separation from Max Verstappen and Red Bull. It would be the next step of a rapid crash.
“I determine my future myself”: Max Verstappen made a significant announcement to the media before the Great Britain’s Grand Britain. For weeks there have been persistent rumors about a possible farewell to the reigning Formula 1 world champion from Red Bull towards Mercedes.
Verstappen Treaty at Red Bull actually runs until 2028, but there is reportedly a performance -related exit clause. “I’m not talking about my contract,” said the 27-year-old briefly. A Dementi sounds different. Verstappen emphasized that he was happy where he was and said: “It would be ideal to end my career at Red Bull.” But that also sounds more like a pious wish than a promise.
Should Verstappen actually leave Red Bull, it would be a heavy blow for the racing team – and the next step from the dominant world champion to the humiliated. A greater change could occur.
A look back: It was just two years ago that Red Bull dominated Formula 1 at will in the 2023 season. A Red Bull driver won a total of 21 out of 22 season races. Max Verstappen became the world champion, Red Bull also secured the title with the designers with a clear lead. Fans and experts expected the dominance to stop until the rule changes in the coming season 2026.
But it turned out differently: at the beginning of the season 2024 it became at Red Bull. A scandal about supposedly attacking behavior by team boss Christian Horner contradicted an employee to an employee. The scandal was embedded in a red Bull internal power struggle between Horner and motorsport consultant Helmut Marko. Each of the two is said to have had the backing of one side of the Red Bull owners: Marko that of the Austrian side and Horner that of the Thai co-owners.
Both opponents were associated with a possible expulsion and at that time there were already first reports of a possible farewell to say goodbye, who is said to have bound his fate to the Marko, confidante. In the end, both Horner and Marko were allowed to stay. Team peace was restored for the time being.
Nevertheless, there were consequences elsewhere: Star designer Adrian Newey, who had been working for Red Bull since 2006 and had designed all the world championship cars of the racing team, fled and is now active for Aston Martin’s competition. Sports director Jonathan Weatley also announced his farewell and became team boss at Sauber.
It should also go downhill soon: After a strong start to the season, Red Bull increasingly lost his supremacy in the premier class of motorsport. McLaren overtook the Austrian team. Verstappen was able to save his lead in the driver’s World Cup and enter the fourth title in a row, but the team of teams was lost.
This was also due to the fact that Verstappen’s team -mate Sergio Pérez could no longer cope with the worse car at all and completely collapsed his performance. The occupation of the second cockpit alongside Verstappen had been a problem with Red Bull for years. With Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon, two young drivers failed from their own youth program.
The Austrians then signed the experienced Pérez. The Mexican also had a trouble with the Constance in the Red Bull, but in the dominant years there was still enough points for winning the team World Cup. In 2024, however, it was over with it, the team World Cup was gone and thus also ended at Red Bull.