The moment Max Verstappen considered quitting Red Bull this season amid Mercedes interest

Follow us on Google Discover

Max Verstappen could very well leave his home race on Sunday evening with a 100-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship.

Fans at the Dutch Grand Prix have seen the Red Bull star claim victory on his last three visits to Zandvoort and if he repeats that feat and his closest rival Lando Norris fails to finish in the points, he’ll have a lead many would describe as unassailable with nine race weekends left.

However, things are far from that simple for Max Verstappen who has watched his advantage over the rest of the grid slip away in recent months.

His performance at Imola was outstanding and potentially the first time in years he’s won a race without possessing the fastest car.

Consistency has become the key for Verstappen and while his rivals steal points off each other and Sergio Perez continues to struggle, he continues to steadily increase his tally.

Speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, journalist Erik van Haren was speaking about Verstappen’s future.

The 26-year-old understandably wants to be in the best car possible all the time and noises from Mercedes that they want Verstappen may begin to turn his head.

Verstappen has also witnessed key staff like Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley decide to walk away from the project which may be putting doubts in his head.

However, it was only when the future of Red Bull advisor and close ally Helmut Marko was threatened that Verstappen seriously thought about a future away from Red Bull.

Marko has now signed a new Red Bull deal, but the team will know how important he is to their future success if his fate is directly linked to Verstappen’s.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Max Verstappen considered leaving Red Bull when Helmut Marko’s position was threatened

Asked by Tom Clarkson if he’s confident Max Verstappen will be at Red Bull in 2025, Van Haren said: “Yes, yes. The thing is in Austria, he said he would stay. But that was, of course, after three or four questions.

“It was not that he said it directly at the beginning. Of course, he couldn’t say no, because then there would have been a crisis that weekend.

“But I think it has always been his intention to stay for next year for sure at Red Bull.

“Only when there’s been chaos or maybe I think in Jeddah, he said when there was some speculation about Helmut Marko, the top adviser, who’s going to be suspended, then he was quite clear. If he goes, I go, and that didn’t happen.

“But I think it’s always been his intention to stay at Red Bull for 2025.”

Van Haren went on to explain that Verstappen made it clear at the start of the season that it was important to him that important people stayed in the team.

Since then, Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley have both announced their departures from the team.

The Dutch journalist suggests that therefore things are ‘not that quiet’ at Red Bull and he’s curious what Verstappen will say during the Dutch Grand Prix.

Van Haren concluded: “I don’t think that will change anything for his plans for 2025, but for 2026 will be very interesting what he will do.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links

Max Verstappen’s future is no longer directly linked to Helmut Marko’s at Red Bull

Verstappen and Marko have worked together for a long time and his father Jos no longer in the paddock as regularly as he used to be, Marko is very much a confidante he looks to during race weekends.

Marko’s new contract removes a clause that would have allowed Verstappen to leave if the veteran Austrian departed the team.

Mercedes have given up signing Verstappen for 2025 but that won’t stop them trying to convince him to make the move again for the following season.

George Russell’s deal only runs until the end of next year and it’s hard to see Toto Wolff handing him an extension until he knows Verstappen’s plans.

Marko is being handed more power by Red Bull to keep Verstappen but it’s yet to be seen what impact that might have on Horner’s long-term position in the team.