Stay or Go? The Verstappen Decision That Could Rock F1
After one of the most dominant seasons in F1 history in 2023, Red Bull now looks like an empty shell, and Max Verstappen may be wondering if he should jump out from this ship. The team has suffered mass departures: legendary chief designer Adrian Newey, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, race engineer Will Courtenay, technical boss Rob Marshall, and now Christian Horner himself, ousted amid internal turmoil and poor results. Even with a Ford-powered engine project for 2026, confidence is low. Red Bull sits fourth in the standings, is struggling for pace, and has no reliable second driver. Verstappen is the only constant—and he’s said to have a performance clause and an exit option if things don’t improve.
That bombshell came when Horner was suddenly removed on July 9th—a move apparently pushed by Red Bull’s motorsport boss Helmut Marko and owner Oliver Mintzlaff. At the time, Verstappen trailed McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 69 points, and tension inside the team was high. Without Horner’s leadership, Red Bull now faces its deepest crisis since its rise, shaken by both scandal and internal collapse. Horner’s departure, following the exits of Newey and Wheatley, signals a loss of technical and strategic core. Now, Laurent Mekies, previously head of Red Bull’s junior team, steps in. He faces major challenges: restoring performance, settling organizational instability, and delivering a competitive 2026 Ford engine. Meanwhile, Verstappen is reportedly rethinking his future. He’s contracted until 2028 but has performance-based escape clauses and has been loosely tied to Mercedes talks—conversations that go beyond casual speculation. Verstappen is “strongly” considering leaving, and the team’s decline could last years, despite a strong period ahead with regulation changes in 2026.
The big question is whether Verstappen feels Red Bull can recover fast enough. Helmut Marko has already voiced his concern that if the car doesn’t become quicker, the Dutch driver won’t stay. Former F1 bosses suggest it might take two to three seasons to regain their pace, especially with slow progress on the RB21’s setup issues. Verstappen himself downplayed the idea of leaving previously but hinted that “things must go really crazy” for a split to happen, which is exactly the current state of affairs. Red Bull’s current setup feels fragile. Without a solid second driver, leadership, or technical cornerstone, Verstappen is essentially carrying the team on his back.
With rivals like McLaren and Mercedes already ahead, Verstappen might need to decide whether to stay loyal or find a brand-new team, perhaps Mercedes or Aston Martin, to chase more championships. Now Red Bull is at a crossroads: fragmented, leaderless, and bleeding talent. Verstappen is their anchor, but even he can’t fight a sinking ship forever. His options now are clear: help rebuild the team or walk away for greener pastures elsewhere. If Red Bull cannot respond fast, it might lose its greatest asset—and Verstappen may end up having to go to stay the champion he wants to be.
