Max Verstappen Has the Option to Leave Red Bull for Another Team, Reveals Niki Lauda’s Son

SAKHIR, BAHRAIN: Max Verstappen, racing for the Red Bull Racing team during the 2025 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain

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.

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.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Max Verstappen Raymond Vermeulen Red Bull

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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