The atmosphere inside Red Bull remains anything but calm. Technical struggles with the RB22, results that have fallen short of expectations, and an increasingly strained relationship between Max Verstappen and the Milton Keynes-based team are all contributing to a growing sense of uncertainty.
Following the British Grand Prix, speculation surrounding the four-time Formula 1 World Champion’s future intensified once again, fuelled by reports that a contractual exit clause could allow him to leave the team under certain conditions.
However, the source of the frustration extends beyond the RB22’s performance alone. Over the past few Grands Prix, the Dutch driver has also been affected by technical issues involving the rear wing, circumstances that contributed to two consecutive accidents. Added to that is a growing feeling—according to several reports—that his feedback on the car’s development is no longer receiving the attention it once did.
The championship standings also make it increasingly likely that Verstappen could reach the summer break outside the positions required to invalidate the performance-related exit clause in his contract. That possibility has naturally intensified speculation over his future.
Martin Brundle points the finger at the Verstappen camp
Adding further fuel to the debate were comments made by Martin Brundle during Sky Sports F1’s live broadcast. The former Formula 1 driver offered a particularly critical interpretation of the situation unfolding at Red Bull, going as far as suggesting that the so-called “Team Verstappen” had played a direct role in weakening the team’s management structure.
“Oh my God, they wanted to destabilise the management at Red Bull, didn’t they? Team Verstappen did a wonderful job of it,” Brundle said.
The British commentator then referred to the series of high-profile departures that have reshaped Red Bull’s leadership over recent months.
“First Christian Horner, then Adrian Newey, Dr Helmut Marko and Jonathan Wheatley have gone. Now we know Paul Monaghan is leaving as well. I think Team Verstappen did too good a job of trying to get rid of some of Red Bull’s key figures,” he added.
Those comments were always likely to generate controversy, particularly at a time when Verstappen’s future remains one of the paddock’s hottest topics.
Jos Verstappen responds as tensions with the British media continue
Brundle’s remarks did not go unanswered. Rather than Max Verstappen responding personally, it was his father Jos who hit back through his Instagram account with a blunt message aimed at the former British driver.
“Another idiot who thinks he knows what’s going on,” the former Formula 1 driver wrote, dismissing Brundle’s assessment of the situation.
It is far from the first time the Verstappen family has clashed with the British media. Towards the end of the 2025 season, during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, Max Verstappen openly expressed his frustration with questions from a Guardian journalist. A few months later, during the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix weekend, that same reporter was prevented from attending the reigning world champion’s press conference.
Meanwhile, the biggest question remains unanswered: Max Verstappen’s sporting future. According to reports, his management has already explored potential opportunities with both Mercedes and McLaren, although no concrete developments have emerged so far.
For now, remaining at Red Bull still appears to be the most likely outcome. However, if the Milton Keynes team hopes to convince its star driver to continue with a project that, until recently, looked destined to dominate Formula 1 for years to come, it will need to quickly reverse its fortunes both technically and organizationally.
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