Max Verstappen, the three-time world champion of Formula 1, dropped a bombshell when he said he might leave Red Bull Racing in the event that close friend and team advisor Helmut Marko left.
If team advisor Helmut Marko is forced out of Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen has threatened to leave the team.
Verstappen’s mentor, the 80-year-old, recently acknowledged that Red Bull may suspend him due to the ongoing fallout from the Christian Horner scandal. Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing following an independent investigation last week, despite a female colleague accusing him of inappropriate behavior.
But with Verstappen’s father Jos and now Marko involved, the scandal hasn’t seemed to be going away. Marko acknowledged that there was a “theoretical possibility” he could be suspended before the Austrian Grand Prix later this month when questioned about the rumor by ORF, the country’s broadcaster.
In other words, it’s hard to judge, or, to put it another way, in the end, I’ll make my own decisions about what to do, he said. There is always a theoretical chance. It seems like such a complicated problem. We want harmony among the team once more.
“With 24 races, this world championship will be challenging enough, so we must focus on that. The most crucial thing is that the team focuses on what matters and that we return to the athletic aspect of the situation. Right now, that’s operating fairly effectively.”
Despite being under contract with Red Bull until 2028, reports have suggested that Verstappen has a break clause in his contract that would allow him to leave the team if Marko leaves.
In response to a question regarding Marko’s remarks, Verstappen disclosed that he had informed Red Bull that Marko “has to stay” involved. Verstappen stated, “I have told the team that it is not good for my situation if such an important pillar falls away.”
“He plays a significant role in my future decision-making. Helmut has to stay in my opinion. I hold great admiration for him and our joint accomplishments. It covers a great deal of ground. Together with Dietrich (Mateschitz), he formed this team.
Following Verstappen’s pole position finish in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, there has been more drama. He is still the overwhelming favorite to win a fourth straight world championship this year after winning the first Grand Prix of the season in Bahrain last week.
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