Given their recent dominance in Formula One, Red Bull are facing a surprising crisis, if you believe the paddock rumors. Despite having a contract until 2028, their star driver, Max Verstappen, seems unhappy over both on-track and off-track issues.
Red Bull’s driver pairing isn’t quite like that of Mercedes, Ferrari, or McLaren. Max Verstappen consistently maximizes his car’s performance, but Sergio Perez often lags whether in qualifying or the race. Charles Leclerc’s recent win in Monaco pushed him ahead of Perez into second place, with Leclerc now only 31 points behind Verstappen. Max, on the other hand, had a disappointing sixth place finish in Monaco and didn’t even finish the Australian Grand Prix. Lando Norris capitalized on a well-timed strategy in Miami to get ahead, something Red Bull hasn’t managed this season.
This time last year, Red Bull and Max had a comfortable lead. Eight rounds in, Max was 74 points ahead of Perez, and the team had amassed 332 points, 154 more than second-placed Mercedes. But now, the gap to Ferrari is just 24 points. Amidst this, Mercedes is on the hunt for Lewis Hamilton’s replacement after he ended his long-term deal with the team. Toto Wolff has been vocal about his desire to sign Verstappen, luring him with the promise of a possibly dominant new power unit in 2026.
F1-insider, close to Dr. Helmut Marko, reported a clash between Christian Horner and Verstappen during the Monaco Grand Prix. Horner supposedly criticized Max in a Sky interview for making a costly mistake, implying the car was capable of better than a sixth-place finish. Max apparently took issue with Horner highlighting his error while not mentioning Perez’s own disastrous performance, where he failed to make it past Q1 and ended in eighteenth position.
Max also seems disgruntled about how Red Bull’s simulators haven’t been producing accurate data compared to the cars’ on-track performance. This year, the tension between Max and the team has escalated. Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, openly called for Horner to step down as team head, arguing that his departure was necessary to prevent the team from falling apart. Further tension arose when Dr. Helmut Marko was investigated, though later cleared, over alleged inappropriate behavior.
Verstappen has stated that Marko’s continued presence in the team is crucial for him. Max emphasized, “It’s very important that he stays within the team. If such an important pillar falls away, that’s not good for my situation as well.
Amidst these internal conflicts, Toto Wolff has reportedly changed his stance on Marko, suggesting they now share common values. There are even rumors that a break clause in Max’s contract might allow him to leave if Marko departs from Red Bull. Wolff commented, “Despite the rivalry, there are common values that we stand for… Let’s put it this way, anything is possible in F1.” This hints at the possibility of Verstappen making a switch to Mercedes.
Christian Horner, however, appears unfazed, stating, “Obviously, a lot is made of this stuff. But we are one team, and nobody is bigger than the team. If someone doesn’t want to be in this team, then we’re not going to force anyone, against their will, to be here.” This message is clear – even a world champion driver isn’t irreplaceable.
Max has criticized the team’s engineers for downplaying his concerns, particularly given Red Bull’s recent dominance in F1. With Mercedes possibly offering him a more competitive car, will Max make the leap? The stakes are high and the dynamics at Red Bull are clearly shifting.
In the high-stakes world of Formula One, nothing stays certain for long. Given the current unrest within Red Bull and the potential opportunities from Mercedes, the decisions made over the coming months could reshape the futures of everyone involved.
