Last weekend’s race in Bahrain fully exposed the performance deficit the RB21 has to the front-runners. Max Verstappen struggled throughout qualifying and the race, eventually managing only P6. In the aftermath, chaos ensued within the team’s upper ranks, with an emergency meeting held to discuss what’s next.
One of the biggest concerns turned out to be Verstappen’s future at the team. Reports of the Dutchman growing discontent with Red Bull’s mechanical woes emerged, and his manager Raymond Vermeulen was even spotted in a heated altercation with the team’s chief advisor Helmut Marko.
Verstappen is now being linked to other teams on the grid, including Mercedes and Aston Martin. In light of this, three-time world champion Niki Lauda’s son, Mathias—who works as an F1 analyst—commented that Verstappen has a plethora of options, thanks to Vermeulen.
“Max’s manager knows what he’s doing. He will always make sure his driver is on the best team. If the team doesn’t function properly, he has the option to go somewhere else, if Max wants to, of course,” he told Servus TV as quoted by F1Maximaal.nl.
Max shaking his head after Red Bull butchered his pitstop…pic.twitter.com/hQq9uIAmLf
— Verstappen News (@verstappenews) April 13, 2025
Lauda didn’t directly reveal any details of the Dutchman’s Red Bull contract that would allow him to leave the team. However, it is a well-known fact in the paddock that Verstappen has a performance-related exit clause in his deal, which—on paper—runs until 2028.
The possibility of Verstappen forcing his way out of Red Bull isn’t lost on the team either. In fact, Marko has been very vocal about the need to address the issues with the RB21, warning that the team risks losing the 27-year-old if they don’t.
The only way Verstappen will be persuaded to race for the team is to help him defend his world title according to the Austrian.
“With a performance like that, unfortunately, the World Championship won’t happen. We have to create a foundation with a car that will enable him [Verstappen] to fight for the World Championship,” he explained.
So far, Verstappen doesn’t have a car consistent enough to challenge the top three. The RB21’s grip and balance have seemed all over the place, and for a four-time champion chasing title number five, it’s crucial for Red Bull to make improvements in the coming races.
