Recently, there has been talk of Max Verstappen making an unexpected switch from Red Bull to Mercedes.
Christian Horner, the CEO of Red Bull, has stated that he will not obstruct Max Verstappen’s path should the Dutchman choose to look for a new challenge elsewhere. Recently, Verstappen made hints that he might leave Red Bull if Helmut Marko is fired. It is believed that the 80-year-old is the subject of an internal investigation.
Following his qualification in Saudi Arabia, Marko hinted at a “possible possibility” of suspension following accusations that he had leaked information about Horner’s alleged behavior toward a female colleague. He later met with Oliver Mintzlaff, managing director of Red Bull, and stated that he would not be punished in this manner.
Verstappen, 26, publicly sided with Marko when questioned about the Red Bull scandal in Saudi Arabia, which has raised speculation that he may join Mercedes. By implying that he would be happy to have Marko at the Silver Arrows should he decide to leave Red Bull, Toto Wolff has already stoked the flames.
Despite being committed to Red Bull until the end of 2028, Horner has stated that he would not obstruct Verstappen’s path if he decides to stop racing for the company. It happened only a few days after Horner declared he was “100% certain” Verstappen would play for the team for the duration of his contract.
“It’s like anything in life, you can’t force somebody to be somewhere just because of a piece of paper,” Horner said while speaking in Jeddah. We won’t compel someone to be here against their will if they didn’t want to be on this team.
“This holds true for anyone working in a support role within the company, such as a designer or a machine operator. Participating in a group such as this requires dedication and enthusiasm. Max possesses that. We’ve observed that. Since he was eighteen, he has resided here. I am confident in his future dedication and enthusiasm.”
According to reports, Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull includes a conditional release clause that would enable him to leave the team early in the event that Marko leaves. Though it’s unclear if Verstappen will sign a contract with Mercedes soon, Wolff has said he expects Verstappen to stay with Red Bull as long as they have the fastest car on the grid.
Following the Bahrain Grand Prix, Wolff made the following statement: “I believe the driver will always select the fastest car. That is the main idea behind everything. Since Red Bull is currently the fastest car, that should always come first in my opinion. Max may not be in a different league now, but I believe he is in a different galaxy.”
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