Verstappen can leave Red Bull if Honda does not perform in 2019

Verstappen can leave Red Bull if Honda does not perform in 2019 according to reports in Autosprint.

Max Verstappen has decided to stick with Red Bull despite his partner Daniel Ricciardo making the switch to Renault.

Reports have suggested that Red Bull’s decision to ‘experiment’ with the Honda engine had a massive role to play in Ricciardo’s decision to leave Red Bull.

Ricciardo wasn’t ready to take the ‘Honda’ gamble and thus chose the Renault gamble instead.

Renault haven’t been brilliant with their engine either, with Red Bull suffering massively in their quest for this year’s constructor’s championship.

Now, according to Autosprint(the Italian Magazine), Verstappen seems to have a rather unique clause in his contract, wherein he will be allowed to leave Red Bull for free, if the Honda package fails to perform.

“In the Autosprint, that Italian magazine, says Max has a clause in his contract that if the Honda is not good enough, he can leave,” as quoted by Dutch magazine F1maximal.net.

The Dutch magazine then adds that such clauses are often found in driver contracts.

“That is nothing new in itself. This has been happening for years, that kind of performance clauses.” they add. 

Verstappen thus will not be forced to pay a lump sum amount to Red Bull, if he decides that the Honda package isn’t going to yield any results for him and his team.

Red Bull of course have done their homework with respect to Honda and only then did they make the decision to shun Renault and bring the Japanese manufacturer on board.

However, Verstappen himself has admitted that people shouldn’t expect a title from him or Red Bull in 2019.

Honda had a torrid time with McLaren, before McLaren decided that it was time to move on. But, their performance with Toro Rosso has helped them get on board with one of F1’s elite and they are reportedly working over time in order to ensure they live up to expectations.

Honda are testing their engines in three locations in the world and are determined to perform on the track.