3 reasons why Red Bull must prepare for a future without Max Verstappen

The 2024 F1 season was an interesting one in the Max Verstappen-Red Bull partnership, where it became apparent that the relationship is arguably not as smooth as many would have thought. The Dutch driver has been quite vocal when it comes to his future and said retirement could be around the corner at any moment.

Whether that is his honest opinion or not is a question that needs further exploration, but what stands out is the non-commitment to a Red Bull-Max Verstappen future. Ironically, the talks around the Dutch driver's future first began when he signed a lengthy contract with the team in 2022. Since that point, however, he has been adamant and shared his reluctance to commit to what the future holds for him.

With Red Bull stumbling in 2024 and losing the Constructors' Championship, there is a spotlight on the Austrian team and whether it can get back to its competitive best in 2025. If it doesn't, there's a possibility that Max Verstappen could even court suitors from rivals, including Mercedes.

For the Austrian team, however, it would leave the squad in a dicey situation. As the F1 circus gets ready for the 2025 season, is it time for Red Bull to evolve from a model that's very 'Max Verstappen-centric' to a more equitable one? Is it about time that the Milton Keynes-based squad once again becomes a two-driver team instead of being built around just one of them?

Let's take a look at why it might be time for Red Bull to prepare for a future without Max Verstappen.

Max Verstappen's persistent talk about leaving the sport

It is quite interesting to see the ever-increasing frequency with which Verstappen has invited the talk of leaving the sport since he won his first title in 2021. The Red Bull driver never talked about a life beyond F1 for a long time but as soon as his career goal was achieved as he won his first title, he's been quite vocal about leaving.

Looking at the manner in which he talks about leaving the sport and the manner in which Red Bull has often had a 'Verstappen-first' approach in everything, it won't be a surprise if there's a clause in the driver's contract that gives him an immediate release from the team.

If a driver is willing to entertain the talks about leaving the sport to the extent that Max Verstappen does, it does show that he's given it a thought. For Red Bull, this is certainly a problem. Since 2019, this team has been customized to be a team that works, lives, and breathes for Verstappen's success. This includes the car characteristics that we tend to see in general.

They are very pointy, and it's safe to say that it takes a talent such as Max Verstappen to truly extract the best from them. If Verstappen leaves tomorrow, it's going to be hard to find a ready-made replacement for the Dutch driver.

The problem here is that the way Verstappen talks about leaving the sport, it could certainly happen.

The sole hinge to Red Bull being Helmut Marko

The relationship between Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko is something to be adored for sure. The Dutch driver and Austrian veteran have developed it over the decade, and they're as close as one can be without being family.

With that being said, how big is Verstappen's loyalty with the rest of the team? How is his relationship with Christian Horner? Inside Red Bull, it is clear that Horner has reached a point where he will continue to get stronger and stronger.

At the same point, there's a clique of Helmut Marko and the Verstappen family that has been formed. If Verstappen wants to leave tomorrow, Marko will not stand in his way and would rather facilitate that. At the same point, if the loyalties are very strong with the Austrian but not the team, it does make it hard for the team to work as a cohesive unit in that case.

More importantly, it does mean that the relationship is not as robust as it ideally should be. When that is the case and the facts have already been laid out on the table, then does it make sense to not have a backup in place? Especially since Verstappen has been a part of the squad for a decade now.

2026 could be tough, and Max Verstappen might not be willing to pull them through

One thing Max Verstappen has been very particular about is him not wanting to be a part of a 'project' of sorts. He has been quite open in admitting that he doesn't want to be a part of the squad that's still growing and would have an uncompetitive car for some time.

Well, for the 2026 F1 season, Red Bull would be building its own power unit. If there is any team that could get things right, it is the Christian Horner-led squad. At the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that RBPT is going against behemoths like Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, and even Audi.

That's a major challenge, and in fairness, the team would be expected to struggle at the start of the regulations as it tries to get to grips with what it means to be a power unit manufacturer. Those early weekends/seasons when things are not right and when the car is maybe not challenging for the title would be the time when it needs the lead driver in Max Verstappen to rally the troops.

But what Verstappen has been clear about is that he does not want to do that job. He doesn't want to be the guy that builds a team. Sooner rather than later, Red Bull would realize that the compatibility is just not there between the team and the driver in terms of how they want to approach the sport.

In that case, there needs to be a driver available who can pick up the pieces and who is good enough for Red Bull to not disintegrate when someone like Verstappen leaves.

With 2026 already knocking on the door, this is precisely why Red Bull needs to future-proof its driver lineup, especially with things about to get tougher for the squad in the near future.