In the wake of chief technical officer Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull, there’s a cloud of uncertainty hovering over the team’s future, reigniting speculations about Max Verstappen’s tenure with the outfit.
Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher is confident that Max Verstappen will imminently sever ties with Red Bull. “Max Verstappen is ‘certain’ to leave Red Bull shortly,” Schumacher asserted.
Red Bull recently announced the impending departure of chief technical officer Adrian Newey in the first quarter of 2025. Newey, revered as one of Formula 1’s finest car designers, will redirect his focus towards the RB17 hypercar project, leaving a significant void at Red Bull.
Verstappen’s potential departure from Red Bull has been a topic of discussion since the beginning of the year, spurred by public criticisms from his father, Jos, directed at team principal Christian Horner amidst internal power struggles between the Thai and Austrian factions within the company.
Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has openly expressed his interest in acquiring Verstappen’s services as he seeks to fill the void left by Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari.
In an interview with Sky Germany, Schumacher hinted at Verstappen exploring other opportunities outside of Red Bull. “I also think he has other options,” Schumacher revealed. “In the paddock, you already hear stories about him talking to others.
“The question is whether it will happen next year or the year after, but for me it is certain that he wants to leave.”
While Adrian Newey’s next career move remains undisclosed, there are indications that the British engineer has been in discussions with Ferrari.
Ralf Schumacher noted that engineers are considering departing alongside Newey, lamenting the shifting dynamics within the team since the passing of founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022.
“Engineers are leaving who want to go somewhere else together with Adrian Newey,” Schumacher remarked, underscoring the sentiment surrounding the team’s evolving landscape.
“The team spirit is no longer what Dietrich Mateschitz would have wanted. What is happening now is really a shame and sad.
“It is very disappointing that it is now falling apart because of people who were given the opportunity by Mateschitz, while at the core they were just employees It’s unbelievable. I have no words for it.”
