The air around Red Bull Racing, once thick with the scent of champagne and Formula 1 dominance, now carries a distinct aroma of unease surrounding their prized asset, Max Verstappen.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who entered the 2025 season hoping to equal Michael Schumacher’s five consecutive titles, finds himself in a precarious position just four races into the campaign. Whispers are growing louder, fueled by the team’s struggles with their RB21 car, suggesting Verstappen might be considering an exit if upcoming upgrades fail to deliver a significant turnaround in performance.
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Max Verstappen is growing more impatient with RB21 problems
The Bahrain Grand Prix was a stark reminder of Red Bull’s current woes. Verstappen endured a “catastrophic” race, plagued by overheating tires, brake problems, and pit stop delays. He even found himself briefly in last place before clawing his way back to finish a disappointing sixth. This result saw him drop to third in the Drivers’ Championship standings, eight points behind McLaren’s Lando Norris. Verstappen himself admitted that “everything went wrong that could go wrong”. He has consistently complained about balance issues with the RB21, describing it as unpredictable on corner entry with mid-corner understeer. The hot weather and rough track surface in Bahrain only amplified these problems.
I’m pretty sure that if the upgrade to the car doesn’t take effect by Imola and the new engine – I’m just talking about rumours now – doesn’t run quite as well, Max Verstappen will definitely leave the team.
Ralf Schumacher, Former F1 Driver & Current Commentator
Adding fuel to the fire, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has publicly voiced his “great concern” about Max Verstappen’s future with the team. Following the Bahrain debacle, Marko stated, “…improvements have to come soon so that he has a car with which he can win again.” He emphasized the need for Red Bull to “create a basis with a car so that he can fight for the world championship.” Marko has even confirmed the existence of a performance clause in Verstappen’s contract that could allow him to leave if Red Bull fails to provide him with a winning car. Reports suggest this clause could be activated in the summer if Verstappen remains lower than third in the standings.
Formula 1 pundits see Max Verstappen’s exit from Red Bull as inevitable
Former F1 driver and pundit Ralf Schumacher has gone a step further, predicting that Verstappen will leave if things don’t get better soon.
“I’m pretty sure that if the upgrade to the car doesn’t take effect by Imola and the new engine – I’m just talking about rumours now – doesn’t run quite as well, Max Verstappen will definitely leave the team,” Schumacher told Sky Germany on Monday.
Schumacher believes Max Verstappen’s talent is undeniable and that Red Bull must understand the gravity of the situation around their top driver.
“You can see the difference he makes,” Schumacher said. “You absolutely have to get this driver, and everyone wants to have him.”
So, where might the 27-year-old Dutchman end up if he exercised his option?
Where could Verstappen end up if he leaves Red Bull?
Schumacher sees Aston Martin as a likely destination. He highlights the appeal of reuniting with Adrian Newey, whom Verstappen knows well, and the prospect of working with Honda again in a new factory with a promising future. However, Aston Martin’s current performance, struggling at the back of the field in Bahrain, could give Max Verstappen pause.
Another potential suitor is Mercedes. Team principal Toto Wolff has previously expressed interest in signing Verstappen. While Wolff has strong drivers in George Russell and the promising Kimi Antonelli, the opportunity to secure a four-time world champion like Verstappen would be hard to ignore.
The situation within the Red Bull team is tense. Crisis meetings were reportedly held after the Bahrain race, involving key figures like Christian Horner, Marko, and technical director Pierre Waché. There were even reports of a heated conversation between Verstappen’s manager and Marko, which was captured in a photo posted in social media.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged the team has “problems that need to be addressed as soon as possible” and that the Bahrain race “exposed some pitfalls”. He admitted that while they could “mask it a little through setup” in Japan, where Verstappen managed a victory from pole position, the underlying issues remain. The team also faces difficulties correlating their wind tunnel data and on-track performance.
The next few races, notably the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with the anticipated upgrades, will be crucial in determining Max Verstappen’s future with Red Bull. If the RB21 doesn’t show significant improvement, the swirling rumors of an opt-out could become a reality, potentially triggering a seismic shift in the Formula 1 driver market for 2026 and beyond. The pressure is on Red Bull to deliver — and deliver fast to keep their prized asset happy and prevent their era of dominance from potentially coming to an abrupt end.
