Helmut Marko Admits “It Will Be Difficult to Keep” Max Verstappen if Red Bull Doesn’t Improve

There wasn’t much optimism in the Red Bull camp heading into the new campaign after they fell down the pecking order last year. The Austrian team that won 21 out of 22 races in 2023 ended the 2024 season just third-best. This year so far, they are looking even worse.

After two rounds, the RB21 most certainly looks like the fourth-fastest car on the grid. They are P3 in the standings, but that—as often is the case—is down to Max Verstappen’s brilliance. So, how long can Red Bull keep going like this?

There were rumors of Verstappen being unhappy with the team’s workings last year itself. Reports of meetings with Toto Wolff were flying around the paddock amidst the struggles. And even though Verstappen’s strong performances helped him retain the Drivers’ title, questions about the future remained unanswered.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is worried. The Austrian veteran, who isn’t afraid to speak his mind, knows that the RB21 has to get faster for Verstappen to win races. If it doesn’t, the rumors about the Dutchman switching teams could turn into reality.

“Max wants a car with which he can always win,” the 81-year-old told Servus TV, before revealing that there are caveats in his $55 million-a-year contract. “There are always performance clauses and if we can’t deliver that, it will be difficult to keep Verstappen.” 

One of the biggest problems that Red Bull is facing with its car this season has carried over from 2024. Last year, Verstappen and now-fired Sergio Perez complained about its lack of balance. The car seemed to be on a knife’s edge, making it extremely difficult to drive, leaving very little room for error.

While the team did bring some upgrades at the US Grand Prix to mitigate these balance issues—which did help the Dutchman retain his championship—the car has again taken a step back it seems this season.

Marko acknowledged that time is running out, and for them to become a winning outfit once again, changes have to be made.

“A quick update would be nice, but you can’t rely on that,” he added.

Red Bull’s technical issues have left them with just one driver

The second seat at Red Bull – a curse that drivers actively chase, only to regret it a short while later.

Joining Verstappen in Milton Keynes was all Liam Lawson wanted over the winter break and Christian Horner gave him the go-ahead, despite criticism from within the F1 community. But as many before him had, Lawson began struggling comprehensively.

The Red Bull car being so challenging to control has made the settling-in period a nightmare for the Kiwi driver, who, so far, has failed to score a single point or get out of Q1 in qualifying. Lawson’s confidence seems to have taken a hit too.

“Unfortunately, I don’t really have time to get used to it, but I need to figure it out quickly,” he said after his P12 finish at the Chinese GP.

So, Verstappen finds himself being the only Red Bull driver chasing points once again—something which affected the team’s chances of winning the Constructors’ title last year. If this continues, Red Bull will end 2025 short of their goal, again. Naturally, they seem to be considering desperate countermeasures.

There are some mind-boggling rumors of Yuki Tsunoda replacing Lawson at the Japanese GP in two weeks. This means that Red Bull could end up replacing Lawson after just two races this season! But even that change is a massive gamble given whether Tsunoda will be able to settle in quickly and deliver good results if chosen, remains to be seen.