Marko dismisses the idea of transitioning to Mercedes or Aston Martin.
"Red Bull is disintegrating"
The notorious and often dramatic driver 'silly season' in Formula 1 has begun unusually early in 2025. Liam Lawson has already lost his position at Red Bull Racing, rookie Jack Doohan is reported to be leaving Alpine, and rumors are circulating about drivers in the Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Max Verstappen camps. "Red Bull is disintegrating," stated former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher in an interview with Bild newspaper.
"Verstappen is keeping things afloat with his performances, but they have lost too many key players and there are brewing issues internally. It’s remarkable how composed Verstappen remains," Schumacher noted. He predicted, "Max will depart from Red Bull."
Toto Wolff spent a significant portion of 2024 attempting to attract Verstappen to Mercedes, and speculation is resurfacing this year—raising questions about whether George Russell, who has a strained relationship with Verstappen, or Kimi Antonelli would need to leave. "If Max were to join Mercedes, the promising Antonelli, who has been performing exceptionally well, would likely have to go," former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone revealed to Blick newspaper.
However, Schumacher believes that Aston Martin is a far more probable future option for the four-time world champion. "Everything would be structured around him," remarked the former Williams and Toyota driver. "He would likely hold the same status there as he does at Red Bull." Regarding the Mercedes option, Schumacher stated, "I don't foresee that happening at Mercedes, as Toto Wolff wants to elevate Antonelli."
Some believe Red Bull's fundamental error was concentrating too heavily on Verstappen's driving style, but Schumacher disagrees: "It’s only noticeable because his teammates aren’t up to par." Meanwhile, Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko, who is also regarded as Verstappen’s long-time mentor and father figure, dismissed the prospect of following the 27-year-old to another team. "That would be completely out of the question for me," he told Kleine Zeitung newspaper. "From my viewpoint, Formula 1 is Red Bull."
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Marko dismisses the idea of transitioning to Mercedes or Aston Martin.
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