Red Bull chief admits 'great concerns' over Max Verstappen's future at struggling team after world champion's exit clause was revealed
- Max Verstappen can trigger the clause if he is lower than third in the standings
- He finished just sixth in Bahrain and trails both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
- The world champion is signed until 2028 and says he wants to stay at Red Bull
Max Verstappen's future at Red Bull was thrown into sharp focus by their own chief guru Helmut Marko, who said the team had 'great concerns' over whether the world's most valuable driver would remain with them for years to come.
Verstappen is signed up until 2028 and has said that Red Bull is where he wants to remain.
However, as Mail Sport reported on Sunday, the quadruple F1 champion has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave if he were lower than third in the drivers' standings. That clause, a source has indicated, could be activated in the summer.
Verstappen only finished sixth in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix, won by McLaren's Oscar Piastri, and lies third in the championship table, eight points short of leader Lando Norris, who was third in Sakhir.
Commenting on Verstappen's future, Red Bull's motorsport director Marko, 81, told Sky Germany: 'The concern is great. Improvements have to come in the near future so that he has a car with which he can win again.
'We have to create a basis with a car so that he can fight for the world championship.'
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has admitted concern over Max Verstappen's future
Marko urged the team to improve their car to prevent the world champion from leaving
Verstappen finished just sixth at the Bahrain Grand Prix and is third in the drivers' standings
Mercedes and Aston Martin remain among his leading suitors. Verstappen could get a drive anywhere as by far the most desirable driving commodity on the grid.
Meanwhile, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has defended Lando Norris' relative disappointment.
'It is almost unique how open he is. He is quite self-critical. Other champions in the past might go on about the problem being elsewhere.
'It is something important that I admire about Lando, and it makes me very privileged and lucky as team principal, that he absorbs the blame and points it at himself.
'He raises his hand, absolving the team - "It was me, not the team." Which is entirely inaccurate.'
