As Red Bull’s efficiency plummets alongside Max Verstappen’s morale, rumours are reigniting that the crew could well well lose its significant person driver.
As Red Bull‘s efficiency plummets alongside Max Verstappen‘s morale, rumours are reigniting that the crew could well well lose its significant person driver.
Whereas McLaren illustrious Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri‘s 1-2 within the drivers’ standings after Sunday’s Bahrain Mountainous Prix, Red Bull held an urgent meeting. Experiences repeat Christian Horner, Dr Helmut Marko, Pierre Wache, and Paul Monaghan scrambled to address a homely evening, followed by a tense substitute between Marko and Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen.
Verstappen, nevertheless, brushed off post-bustle talks.
“Not at the moment,” he informed Viaplay when urged to discuss matters with his crew. “You go. I don’t feel like it.”
He acknowledged his P6 quit on Bahrain’s excessive-wear song was no shock. “I already warned about it during the winter test here,” the 27-year-passe Dutchman acknowledged. “I told my team ‘Watch out, the gap is half a second’ and that has now proven true.”
Earlier, crew boss Horner had skipped his traditional media responsibilities altogether after a tough Saturday. “Our car is simply not balanced,” Marko acknowledged unhurried Sunday. “And we don’t know what the problem is. I suspect it’s mainly an aerodynamic problem.”
Put up-bustle, Red Bull reportedly resolved to shake up their plan, including rethinking Friday observe systems. “We need to question our approach,” Marko conceded. “For example, we must have a better practice program, and that we use the engine more to understand where we stand. We have very good people, but they have to look within themselves, and everyone has to be open and honest. We know that the car isn’t competitive. But why is that?”
For Verstappen, who brushed aside his fifth-title chances in Bahrain, Marko supplied dinky optimism. “In the short term, there’s nothing we can do technically,” he acknowledged. “At least when we’re in Europe, there should hopefully be progress. But with a performance like this, we won’t be able to defend our world championship title. And that’s not good because we risk losing Max Verstappen.”
An exit clause could well well reportedly activate if Verstappen falls outdoor the highest three in points. “The concern is huge,” Marko admitted. “There must be improvements that will allow him to win. We are very concerned and there are things going on at the moment.”
Crucial points of these “things” dwell vague, but Sky Deutschland pressed Mercedes boss Toto Wolff on the risk of signing Verstappen for 2026. “We’re keeping both feet on the ground,” Wolff spoke back. “We’re happy with the way things are.”
Wolff’s field is George Russell‘s tough manufacture, even though his contract awaits renewal.
Ex-F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was blunt: “I think the game is over. The only hope is that there’s a Red Bull in Imola that suddenly competes for wins. But in Verstappen’s position, it’s logical that he wants to compete for wins. He has the opportunity to choose the best car in the paddock, and Red Bull is obviously not that.”
As speculation mounts, Red Bull could well perhaps also honest face tough choices, admire reshuffling key personnel. “That’s not a question that arises right now,” Marko insisted.
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