Is Red Bull preparing for Max Verstappen’s potential exit?
Max Verstappen has hinted at potentially leaving Red Bull Racing before the end of his current 2028 contract.
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Christian Horner, Max Verstappen, and Helmut Marko (via IMAGO)
Max Verstappen has raced for Red Bull Racing since 2016. The Dutch driver has achieved historic success with the Austrian giant. However, it seems that Milton Keynes is embracing itself in case the four-time world champion decides to quit.
Verstappen has been the de-facto lead driver at Red Bull since Daniel Ricciardo‘s exit at the end of 2018. The 27-year-old has been miles ahead of his teammates since, be it Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, or Sergio Perez. Though Milton Keynes had kept Checo for four seasons despite the vast performance deficit.
The 2025 season will see a change in the Red Bull driver line-up. Perez has been sacked in favor of junior driver Liam Lawson. This could be seen as the first step taken by the team to solidify itself for a future beyond Max Verstappen.
Red Bull needs to be ready for Max Verstappen’s future decision
Max Verstappen’s current Red Bull deal extends till the end of 2028. However, the Dutch driver has admitted that he has been in talks with rivals including Mercedes. The four-time world champion even threatened to leave the team during a tense period last year.
Red Bull understands that it can no longer rely on Verstappen’s contract. The 27-year-old often expressed his desire to race outside the sport. If the reigning world champion makes a sudden call on his future, it could leave the Austrian team without a strong driver line-up.
Liam Lawson’s arrival demonstrates that Milton Keynes is looking at its next future prospect. The Kiwi driver has shown promise and could be ideal to lead Red Bull in the future. A 2025 promotion will allow Lawson to get up to speed at the Austrian team and learn from Verstappen as his teammate.
If the 22-year-old can meet the team’s targets this year, Red Bull can slowly reduce its dependence on Max Verstappen. This can even give some much-needed leverage to the team when negotiating with the four-time world champion.
One must note, Red Bull will not want to lose Verstappen at any cost. The Austrian team understands the importance of the Dutch driver. Though, Christian Horner‘s squad must have a backup which could tackle such a situation if necessary.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2310 Articles Published)