Max Verstappen has already shown Red Bull exactly why it was a risk to let him race GT3 cars

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Max Verstappen’s comments about how he and Red Bull plan to use the hiatus to make improvements should set off alarms.

Verstappen’s retirement threat will concern Red Bull, as the team have catered to him for years and built their internal structure around his needs.

There are some who believe Verstappen’s complaints about Red Bull are unfair, as he hasn’t taken into consideration how it will impact other members of the team.

Do you agree with Martin Brundle’s take on the Max Verstappen saga?

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One of the biggest issues for Max Verstappen is Red Bull’s car this season. Laurent Mekies confirmed Verstappen’s verdict on the gap between them and Mercedes.

Red Bull will have to sacrifice 2027 to fix the RB22 the way Verstappen wants. But it sounds like the four-time world champion has already put the team on a nearly impossible timeline.

READ MORE: Juan Pablo Montoya shares what’s ‘more likely’ between Max Verstappen retiring or joining Mercedes

Max Verstappen eyeing Red Bull improvements before Nurburgring 24 Hours

Speaking after the Japanese Grand Prix, Max Verstappen told Autosport Japan how he will spend his time during the five-week hiatus in the Formula One season.

Verstappen admitted that he wants certain changes made to the RB22, but his goal was to get those changes made before the Nurburgring 24 Hours race in May.

“I’ll spend most of it with my family. And, if possible, I’d like to race on the Nordschleife (the old Nürburgring circuit). After that, of course, I’ll continue discussions with the team. Understanding the new package.

“To do that, it’s important to understand what happened during the Japanese GP weekend. I think we had quite a few stability issues at Suzuka.

“I want to make the car’s balance a bit more stable, understand the engine settings a bit better, and make the whole car a bit more solid. To that end, there are still many ideas I want to try for the next race. I hope to get them done before the 24-hour race.”

READ MORE: Eddie Irvine claims F1 ‘doesn’t need’ Max Verstappen but he has ‘good reasons’ to stay at Red Bull

What do Red Bull need to do to convince Max Verstappen to stay in F1?

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Max Verstappen prioritising RB22 improvement before Nurburgring should concern Red Bull

With Verstappen eyeing significant changes for the RB22 before the Nurburgring 24 Hours race, there should be concern that his priority is no longer Red Bull this season.

Perhaps this is why Helmut Marko didn’t let Verstappen race GT3 cars when he was still at Red Bull, as it seems to have shifted his priority with the team.

A change to the GT3 schedule allowed Verstappen to race in Nurburgring in May, but this could be a massive issue for Red Bull going forward.

With Verstappen already frustrated with Red Bull, not to mention the new regulations, him prioritising his GT3 endeavours could mean that he’s already written off the 2026 season.

Verstappen carries a lot of weight for Red Bull, so him not prioritising the team anymore is a sign that he has checked out, at least for the time being.