Max Verstappen Warning Sent To Red Bull - 'No Reason For Him To Stay'

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has claimed that there will be "no reason for Max Verstappen to stay" at the team if they do not provide him with a competitive car.

Even though Verstappen's contract with the Austrian team runs until 2028, there's chatter about him moving to other teams like Mercedes or Aston Martin if Red Bull doesn't meet his expectations, or leaving the sport all together.

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The situation at Red Bull has been troubled lately due to a decline in their race performance. The 2024 season was tough for them as they ended up third in the Constructors' Championship. Despite a great start to the year with Verstappen winning seven out of the first ten races, the team’s performance fell during the latter part of the season.

Additionally, changes in team members contributed to Red Bull's struggles. Important people like Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley left the team, and Sergio Perez was replaced by Liam Lawson for the next season.

Red Bull is focused on making a better car for 2025, the RB21, and wants it to be good on all tracks, even if it's a little slower. Speaking about the season ahead, Marko commented to F1 Insider, as quoted by Motorsportweek.com:

“We have to provide him with a car with which he is able to win under his own steam.

“It can be one to two tenths of a second slower than others, but unlike last year’s car, it has to be competitive throughout the season and on every track.

“If we don’t succeed, there is no reason for Max to stay with us. You have to be realistic about that.”

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Speaking about his potential retirement from Formula 1, Verstappen previously explained:

"At the moment, I have a contract until [2028].

"I'll be 31 years old at the end of it. Of course that is still very young, but I started when I was 17. That's a long time in Formula 1.

"For me, it depends on how the new cars will be to drive from '26 onwards. Are they enjoyable to drive? The amount of races, how much you're away from home. It's demanding.

"It doesn't matter if you're very successful or not. For me, that doesn't matter. Of course, we've already won a lot in Formula 1.

"For me, it's not that I have to stick around and try to prove myself. I don't have this desire to win eight or nine titles.

"[So] I'm very open-minded at the moment. I'm like, 'Let's just see, wait until the real car is there, how it drives, and go from there'.

"It's not just about the driving experience, it's the whole package, how it comes together. I'm not really stressed about my future. I want to enjoy it and of, course, I want to do well. I want to win. It's also about enjoying what you're doing."

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