Red Bull make change to Max Verstappen's contract as Mercedes eye blockbuster swoop
Max Verstappen has reportedly had his contract tweaked by Red Bull after failing to win a race since June.
Red Bull have reportedly changed Max Verstappen’s contract to prevent him walking away from the Austrian team in the event that advisor Helmut Marko heads for the exit. The Dutchman has seen his lead at the top of the F1 standings cut in recent weeks after failing to win a Grand Prix since June.
Verstappen has dominated F1 in recent years and has cruised to victory in the last two editions of the Drivers’ Championship after narrowly overcoming Lewis Hamilton in 2021.
But Mercedes have been tipped to swoop for the 26-year-old to replace the Ferrari-bound Hamilton, with the Silver Arrows reportedly signing off his salary and bonus clauses earlier this year.
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Red Bull are desperate to cling on to Verstappen, despite the fact they pulled him aside for an intense chat in the aftermath of the Hungarian Grand Prix after he lashed out at his race engineer over the team radio.
And Sky Sports reporter Martin Brundle has insisted the energy drink giants have tweaked the blockbuster star’s contract to close the door on a departure.
“There is talk that Max Verstappen could leave the team if Dr Helmut Marko left,” Brundle explained at the Belgian Grand Prix. “My understanding is that all that paperwork has been changed, and that cannot happen, at least until 2026. Max is nailed on.”
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Red Bull were rocked at the beginning of the season after Christian Horner became the subject of allegations of inappropriate behaviour, before being cleared.
Marko then had his own issues to face after revealing that there was a “theoretical possibility” that he could be suspended by Red Bull.
And at the second Grand Prix of the season in Saudi Arabia, Verstappen said: “I have a lot of respect for Helmut, and what we have achieved together. It goes very far.
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“My loyalty to him is very big, and I have always expressed this to everyone within the team, everyone high up, that he is an important part in my decision making for the future.
“It is very important that he stays. I feel like if such an important pillar falls away, and I have told the team this, that it is not good for my situation as well.
“I think it’s also very important that you give the man a lot of respect for what he has done. That comes back also to loyalty, you know, and integrity. So, yeah it’s important that he stays part of the team, also for me.”
