While they dominated the entire 2023 season indisputably, from the first to the last race, problems began last year. The chaos within Red Bull is unprecedented, and in recent hours, a new contractual clause has emerged that would allow Max Verstappen to leave before his contract ends: Helmut Marko seems ready to throw in the towel. What is happening in Milton Keynes?
Since the beginning of 2024, the situation has changed drastically. The waters were stirred by the Christian Horner case, in which the English team principal was accused of sexual harassment by a team employee. Things then spiraled when, in early May, Adrian Newey announced his departure. This coincided with the start of a performance collapse.
Without considering Sergio Perez, who was lost in the lower positions, Max Verstappen had to wait about four months to cross the finish line in first place again: from the Spanish GP to the Austin Sprint Race. And this year, although after just two Grand Prix, the trend seems to be the same.
With second place in Australia and fourth in China, the Dutchman is in second place in the drivers’ championship; Red Bull occupies third place in the constructors’. 36 points, all earned by the four-time world champion. But the situation within the garage seems far from calm. Many have admitted to witnessing a furious argument between Helmut Marko, Christian Horner, and Pierre Waché in the Shanghai paddock.
Could all this generated chaos lead Max Verstappen to say goodbye to the team that raised him? Helmut Marko told us in an interview with Formel 1.de. “To bring Max to his fifth world title, we need updates. Our big goal, for the whole Red Bull team, is primarily this, as we are not a manufacturer.”
“We are working hard on it, but Max, like all drivers, has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave if the performance is not good. But I don’t think that’s important at the moment: we are second in the championship, eight points behind Norris. The summer break, when we’ll start evaluating the situation, is still far away.”
“Would I be willing to leave the team if Max left? That could be a good reason to do so. I’d say yes.”
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