Red Bull’s slow start to the 2025 Formula 1 season has led to emergency meetings in the paddock to discuss a plan forward, and already prompted one driver switch.
Max Verstappen dismisses speculation about his Red Bull F1 future
Ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Max Verstappen brushed aside concerns about his future at Red Bull
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
As well as speculation about the future of their other seat.
Max Verstappen’s future with Red Bull has been a constant point of speculation throughout the F1 paddock, and Red Bull Senior Advisor Helmut Marko fanned those flames following a difficult weekend for the team at the Bahrain Grand Prix. As Verstappen was left fighting for a sixth-place finish due to trouble along pit lane and a car that remains tough to sort out, Marko opened the door to increased speculation when speaking after the race to Sky Sports Germany.
“The concern [about Verstappen leaving] is great,” said Marko in Bahrain. “As I said, improvements have to come in the near future so that he has a car with which he can win again.
“We have to create a basis with a car so that he can fight for the world championship.”
While Marko may have opened that door, Verstappen just slammed it shut, as he has done before. Speaking at the FIA Press Conference ahead of this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen
“It seems like everyone is talking about my future, except me. I’m focused on the car and working with the team,” said Verstappen as quoted by F1 writer Erik van Haren.
“I am very relaxed,” added the four-time champion.
The Red Bull driver did outline some of his current frustration with the team’s challenger, the RB21. “We struggled with the balance, entry to mid-corner balance isn’t where I want it to be,” said Verstappen.
“Hopefully the tarmac here will be better.
“I am happy, I am not very happy with my car. But we all want to be better, there is no secret in that. We all want to improve,” says Verstappen.
He also found some solace in how quickly the script flipped last season. Red Bull began the year as the dominant package on the grid, but by the end of the season, it was McLaren atop the Constructors’ Championship standings.
Now it is McLaren up front, and it is Red Bull chasing them.
“I just go race by race. I think it will be better than Bahrain.
“The rest is out of my hands - at the moment, we are not the quickest so it is tough to fight for a Championship, but it is a long road.
“Last year here it all looked great and we know how the season ended up,” concluded Verstappen.
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