No driver on the current F1 grid has been with his team longer than Max Verstappen has with Red Bull. In return, the team has rewarded him with cars capable of securing four Drivers’ Championship titles. However, the ever-evolving nature of the sport brings unexpected challenges, and the current turmoil at Red Bull could push the Dutchman toward an early exit.
Will Buxton, for one, believes that’s a real possibility. According to the former F1TV journalist, Red Bull isn’t paying much attention to Verstappen’s input on improving the car.
Since their dominant 2023 season, where they won 21 out of 22 races, Red Bull hasn’t been the same. Last year, they struggled significantly with balance, and the only reason Verstappen retained his crown was his own brilliance, coupled with a blistering start to the season, winning seven of the opening ten races.
His teammates, however, have failed to match him—or even get close. Running a one-man team has taken its toll, but instead of addressing the issue, Red Bull has continued cycling through drivers, searching for someone who can handle their difficult-to-drive cars.
“They’re not listening to Max in how difficult this car is to drive. They’re not ringing the changes that he needs and he wants in this car for it to become more drivable and now they’re just playing fast and loose with his teammate[s]. He needs stability in that second seat,” Buxton explained on the Fast and the Curious podcast.
Earlier today, Red Bull sacked Liam Lawson, whom they appointed after the end of the 2024 season. They spent months hyping him up, only to pull the plug just two races into his Red Bull stint—drawing criticism from figures like Buxton.
BREAKING: Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull from the Japanese Grand Prix#F1 pic.twitter.com/FCXUOyoBBZ
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 27, 2025
“Red Bull’s talk of their ‘duty of care’ is laughable. You either believe in the driver you’ve signed and give them support, or you don’t,” the Briton wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He also wished Tsunoda luck, suggesting that failing to meet the team’s standards could lead to an early termination, just like Lawson. And it’s a situation that Verstappen isn’t enjoying.
Verstappen makes his displeasure known over Lawson-Tsunoda saga
One of the loudest voices criticizing Red Bull’s handling of Lawson was former Dutch F1 driver Giedo van der Garde. Taking to Instagram, he pointed out how the team barely gave Lawson a chance. “They [Red Bull] made a decision, fully aware, gave Liam two races only to crush his spirit…” the 39-year-old wrote.
View this post on Instagram
Verstappen, knowing full well that his actions would go viral, liked the post. In doing so, he signaled his agreement with van der Garde’s claim that Red Bull has a history of bullying its junior drivers.
Sources close to the 27-year-old, as well as insiders within Red Bull, claim that Verstappen was unsettled by the team’s decision to demote Lawson back to RB. The Dutchman had reportedly urged the team to retain Lawson, just as he had previously done for Sergio Perez last season.
