Former F1 test driver believes “Max Verstappen is too relaxed, he’s already secretly left Red Bull”. Max Verstappen’s calmness while Red Bull is going through such a challenging period is suspicious.

The Opinion of the Former Driver
“If Max feels that we are not putting in enough effort, he can leave regardless of the contract.” On the eve of the Australian GP, Helmut Marko had stated that Max Verstappen doesn’t necessarily need a performance clause to be able to break his contract with Red Bull early, which ties him to the team until 2028. The four-time Formula 1 world champion has always been very honest in interviews, emphasizing that he is 100% committed to the team, but at the same time, the Red Bull RB21 currently doesn’t allow him to aim for victory.

In China, the performance gap compared to McLaren became clear (though it had already been evident in Australia), and Red Bull is only keeping pace with Mercedes and Ferrari because Max Verstappen is putting in an extra effort. The 36 points out of 36 for Red Bull, all scored by the reigning champion in the Constructors’ standings, speak volumes. We’ll see if the switch between Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda in Japan will make ax Verstappen less ‘alone,’ although he certainly won’t have appreciated the shake-up, a sign of the nervousness within Red Bull.

According to former driver Robert Doornbos, Max Verstappen’s calmness while Red Bull is going through such a challenging period is suspicious: “In light of the situation, Verstappen seems a bit too relaxed,” said Robert Doornbos, speaking on the Dutch TV program Formula 1 Café. “I think secretly, Verstappen has already said goodbye to Red Bull.” For now, Max’s father, Jos, has stepped in on social media to quash the rumors about Verstappen potentially moving to Mercedes in 2026. Verstappen Sr. first wrote “what nonsense are you saying” to journalist Jack Plooij and then commented on Zak Brown’s prediction, pointing out that the McLaren boss is just trying to stir trouble.