Jos Verstappen believes Red Bull still haven’t fixed key issue that could soon see the team ‘fall apart’

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Max Verstappen left the Austrian Grand Prix with confirmation that a Formula 1 title charge in 2025 is probably a step too far for him.

The Dutchman would need to perform next-level heroics at every race, and with a drivers’ championship deficit of 61 points not even halfway through the season, Red Bull don’t seem up to the task.

With the summer break approaching, Verstappen still needs to decide which Formula 1 project interests him the most for the future.

The 2026 F1 regulations could completely transform the outlook of the sport, and there are no guarantees of Red Bull being competitive anymore, particularly with their own power unit.

Verstappen could leave Red Bull for one ‘very simple’ reason, amid a lack of progress with their recent upgrades. They’re not exactly proving to him that they can match their competitors.

Supposedly, Verstappen has ‘one foot’ in a rival F1 team’s cockpit, with talks over a move to Mercedes now intensifying.

READ MORE: Helmut Marko thinks Max Verstappen could ruin one F1 driver’s career if they were teammates in 2026

Jos Verstappen thinks Red Bull keeping Christian Horner could make the team ‘fall apart’

After qualifying seventh at the previous race in Austria and having little pace, F1 fans told Verstappen to ‘find another team’ as his team’s dominance comes to an abrupt end.

Team boss Christian Horner made no sense talking about Verstappen’s future and doesn’t seem to be fazed by the prospect of his star driver leaving his team.

It’s the presence of the CEO and team principal of the Milton Keynes-based outfit that Jos Verstappen – Max’s father, has been irked by for a while.

According to The Times, the 53-year-old believes that Red Bull can still ‘fall apart’ as long as the Briton is still in charge.

Verstappen’s words will terrify Red Bull chiefs after he admitted that they had just not been good enough at the Austrian Grand Prix. It sounds like the four-time champion is starting to get frustrated.

READ MORE: Bernie Ecclestone shares which F1 team he thinks Max Verstappen should race for in 2026

Max Verstappen’s camp have a scathing view on Red Bull’s prospects for 2026

Red Bull have been a race-winning outfit for nearly over 15 years now, failing to claim a victory in only one season since 2009 (2015).

Through multiple regulation changes they were either able to set a benchmark, or reliably contend for trophies.

After the departure of Adrian Newey, that may have changed. The legendary designer was responsible for helping to build much of their success.

And now Verstappen’s camp are worried about Red Bull’s 2026 prospects, believing that he could be in for a tough time next season.

If that is the case, it could make an early retirement or a move to endurance racing even more tempting for him, given the strong interest he has shown in the discipline recently.