Jos Verstappen, a Dutch Formula 1 driver, issued a warning about the possible disintegration of the Red Bull team following the news that design expert Adrian Newey will leave the team in 2025. Newey, who has been at Red Bull for almost two decades and contributed to the creation of 13 championship-winning cars, will depart amid rumors of a power struggle within the team. Verstappen Sr. expressed concerns about the influence of team principal Christian Horner and suggested that this could have a detrimental effect on Red Bull’s stability. Now that Newey’s departure has been confirmed for early 2025, Verstappen Sr. believes his previous concerns have come true.
Verstappen Sr. emphasized the importance of retaining key personnel for the team’s internal harmony and expressed disappointment that this is not currently the case. He stated: “For internal peace, it is important that key people remain on board. That is not happening now. Newey is leaving and earlier this year it also seemed like Helmut [Marko] would be ousted. For the future, this is not good.”
Verstappen Sr. also mentioned concerns about Marko, an Austrian advisor for Red Bull, who faced the possibility of suspension from the team during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Although Marko was allowed to continue in his role, there were reports suggesting that a clause had been included in Max Verstappen’s contract that would allow him to leave if Marko was removed. These rumors fueled speculation about the possibility of Verstappen joining Mercedes, as team principal Toto Wolff openly expressed interest in hiring the Dutch driver. However, Wolff denied reports of meetings between him and Verstappen Sr., stating that such discussions should remain private.
In conclusion, Jos Verstappen expressed concerns about the future of the Red Bull team following the announcement of Adrian Newey’s departure. He believes that the team is at risk of disintegrating and highlights the importance of retaining key personnel for internal harmony. Verstappen Sr. also mentions the potential impact of Christian Horner’s presence and the rumors involving Helmut Marko. The possibility of Max Verstappen joining Mercedes has been widely discussed, but Toto Wolff denied any official meeting taking place.
