Max Verstappen Is Bigger Than Red Bull – And That’s a S…read more
In football, there’s a famous adage: no player is bigger than the club. But in Formula 1, Max Verstappen appears to have transcended that rule – and nowhere is this more evident than at Red Bull Racing. The Dutchman is more than just the face of the team; he is the team in many respects. That kind of dynamic creates a dangerous imbalance, one that could leave Red Bull in serious trouble if Verstappen ever decides to walk away.
This imbalance was brought into sharp focus during the fallout from Verstappen’s controversial clash with George Russell. Most pundits and fans saw it as a moment of dangerous temper, an apparent act of retaliation that risked both drivers’ races. Yet, Red Bull refused to criticise Verstappen – not even lightly. The most anyone from the team had to say was from Helmut Marko, who chalked it up to a mere “misjudgment.” Verstappen himself didn’t issue any kind of meaningful apology. In fact, the team didn’t seem to push him to make one at all.
Compare that treatment to how other Red Bull drivers have been handled. From Yuki Tsunoda to Liam Lawson to Sergio Pérez, the second seat at Red Bull and its junior team AlphaTauri (now RB) has been a revolving door of criticism and short leashes. Lawson was dropped after just two races, and both Tsunoda and Pérez have been publicly blasted by Marko and others within the organisation. These drivers are expected to perform immediately, often in sub-par machinery, without the margin for error afforded to Verstappen.
The disparity in treatment is glaring. Verstappen, regardless of any mistake, receives unwavering support. Christian Horner even declined to give interviews following the Spanish Grand Prix, seemingly unwilling to face questions that might challenge Verstappen’s conduct. Red Bull’s protective bubble around their star driver sends a clear message: Verstappen is untouchable.
Why? Because Red Bull know they need him more than he needs them. Verstappen is the best driver on the grid right now, and his form over the past few seasons has been almost unmatched. The team are desperate to keep him on board – especially with the 2026 regulation changes looming, which could massively shake up the pecking order. Red Bull, already showing signs of decline in performance, may not have the fastest car in two years’ time. Showering Verstappen with loyalty is a calculated attempt to convince him to stick around and help them rebuild.
But this strategy is fraught with risk. Verstappen is not one to stay somewhere just out of loyalty. As Aston Martin’s Adrian Newey – formerly of Red Bull – recently noted, Verstappen will go wherever he believes the fastest car is. Even though his current contract runs until 2028, Marko has admitted that performance-related exit clauses exist. That means Verstappen could leave long before that date if the car isn’t up to scratch.
There are already rumours swirling. Could Verstappen join Mercedes? Could he follow Newey to Aston Martin? Could he even take a sabbatical in 2026 to evaluate the new landscape before making his next move? None of these possibilities seem far-fetched, and that should be ringing alarm bells in the Red Bull garage.
If Verstappen does leave, Red Bull will be left scrambling. Their years of prioritising one driver and neglecting others will come back to haunt them. Will someone like Russell or Norris be willing to jump ship to a team that treated its previous second drivers so poorly? Red Bull may soon learn the hard way that no driver – not even Max Verstappen – can single-handedly carry a team forever. And when that driver leaves, the cracks hidden beneath the surface might just split the whole operation apart.
