Jos Verstappen, a Dutch Formula 1 driver, issued a warning about the possible disintegration of the Red Bull team following the news that design specialist Adrian Newey will leave the team in 2025. Newey, who has been with 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 that his previous concerns have become a reality.
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’s important that key people remain on board. That’s not happening now. Newey is leaving and earlier this year it also seemed like Helmut [Marko] would be removed. For the future, this is not good. »
Verstappen Sr. also mentioned concerns about Marko, an Austrian advisor to 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 his interest in hiring the Dutch driver. However, Wolff denied reports of meetings between him and Verstappen Sr., stating that such discussions should remain private.
En conclusion, Jos Verstappen a exprimé des inquiétudes concernant l’avenir de l’équipe Red Bull après l’annonce du départ d’Adrian Newey. Il estime que l’équipe est en danger de se désintégrer et souligne l’importance de conserver le personnel clé pour maintenir l’harmonie interne. Verstappen Sr. mentionne également l’impact potentiel de la présence de Christian Horner et des rumeurs impliquant Helmut Marko. La possibilité que Max Verstappen rejoigne Mercedes a été largement discutée, mais Toto Wolff a nié toute réunion officielle en cours.
