F1 race winner reveals Verstappen's 'only option' if he quits Red Bull
F1 race winner reveals Verstappen's 'only option' if he quits Red Bull
With Red Bull facing internal turmoil and Adrian Newey's departure, speculation mounts on Max Verstappen's future. Could Mercedes be his only realistic choice?
The narrative surrounding Red Bull has taken a dramatic turn in recent months. After dominating the field since 2022, cracks have begun to appear in the seemingly unbreakable fortress at Milton Keynes.
READ MORE: Ricciardo BLASTS F1 critics who 'won't change' their opinion on him
The controversy surrounding team boss Christian Horner, though ultimately concluded in his favour, appeared to be the first domino to fall.
This was followed by a flurry of rumours surrounding key personnel departures, with murmurs reaching a fever pitch when whispers of star driver Verstappen's potential exit emerged.
The timing couldn't be more intriguing, coinciding with the vacant seat at Mercedes left by Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari next season.
While the Dutchman himself hasn't explicitly ruled out a future departure, he recently affirmed his commitment to Red Bull, citing their continued dominance under the new regulations.
Leaving a team on top is undoubtedly a monumental risk, especially for a driver hungry for more titles. However, the recent bombshell of Adrian Newey's departure in early 2025 throws a wrench into Red Bull's seemingly unshakeable position.
Many now question if the team can maintain their dominance without the engineering mastermind behind their success, and this uncertainty casts a long shadow over Verstappen's long-term commitment.
Johnny Herbert: Mercedes is Verstappen's "only option"
F1 pundit and former driver Johnny Herbert believes Mercedes might be Verstappen's only realistic option if he were to leave Red Bull.
This comes despite Mercedes' struggles since the 2022 regulation changes, with the team failing to win a race since George Russell's 2022 victory in Brazil.
Furthermore, Verstappen signed a long-term deal with Red Bull, locking him in until the end of 2028.
However, Herbert speculates that the contract might include a release clause triggered by Newey's departure.
"Max signed a new deal at the beginning of last year," Herbert told FPOC.
"I would not be surprised if Max did not have a release clause in the event of Adrian going. He has one if Helmut Marko does. The ongoing shenanigans have made it a very uncomfortable place to be.
"If Adrian does go, he is the one who has the ideas and creates what Red Bull has in the last couple of years.
"I imagine Max would be absolutely fuming. Remember Jos, his dad, had predicted that this saga could erupt and it is getting very close to exploding.
"Would Max want to be part of that? Absolutely not. The only option he would really have is Mercedes whether it is next year to give himself time to bed in ahead of 2026 and the new regulations.
"That is the only place where there is a seat. Fernando Alonso would not want Max [at Aston Martin] if Lance Stroll is removed."
While the prospect of Verstappen joining Mercedes would be a boon for the sport, it remains to be seen if he would be willing to take such a risk and if the ongoing turmoil at Red Bull will be enough to trigger a potential exit clause or convince him to jump ship to a team still struggling to adapt to the new regulations.
READ MORE: Verstappen receives STUNNING $160 million offer from F1 rival
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Red Bull director admits 'chaos' around team
- 46 minutes ago
Helmut Marko rues 'painful' Adrian Newey departure
- 2 uur geleden
Hamilton makes TELLING declaration about F1 tyres
- Yesterday 21:00
F1 boss hints Newey move not off the cards
- Yesterday 20:00
Where do Hamilton and Verstappen place in Forbes' 2024 highest-paid athletes list?
- Yesterday 19:00
F1 boss considering V8 engine U-TURN ahead of pivotal regulation change
- Yesterday 18:00
F1 Race Calendar 2024
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
-
GP JAPAN
5 - 7 Apr
Max Verstappen
-
GP CHINA
19 - 21 Apr
Max Verstappen
-
GP USA
3 - 5 May
Lando Norris
-
GP ITALY
17 - 19 May
Max Verstappen
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
- GP CANADA 7 - 9 Jun
- GP SPAIN 21 - 23 Jun
- GP AUSTRIA 28 - 30 Jun
- GP GREAT BRITAIN 5 - 7 Jul
- GP HUNGARY 19 - 21 Jul
Where do Hamilton and Verstappen place in Forbes' 2024 highest-paid athletes list?
F1 boss considering V8 engine U-TURN ahead of pivotal regulation change
F1 race winner reveals whether he'd return to Mercedes as a 'stop-gap' option
Newey manager reveals 'on-going talks' amid Ferrari links
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- AWS Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860
Realtimes | Publishing Network
Copyright (©) 2017 - 2024 GPFans.com
Realtimes | Publishing Network