Marko expresses significant worries regarding Verstappen's departure.

      "Our car is simply unbalanced."

      As Red Bull's performance declines alongside Max Verstappen's mood, speculation is reigniting that the team may lose its star driver. While McLaren celebrated Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri taking the top two positions in the drivers' standings after Sunday's race in Bahrain, Red Bull was holding an emergency meeting. Numerous reports indicate that Christian Horner, Dr. Helmut Marko, Pierre Wache, and Paul Monaghan were engaged in intense discussions about a challenging evening under the lights. Soon after, Marko was seen in a heated discussion with Verstappen's manager, Raymond Vermeulen.

      However, the four-time world champion had no desire to engage. "Not at the moment," Verstappen told Viaplay when asked about discussions with his team. "You go. I don’t feel like it." He expressed that not finishing higher than P6 on a high-degradation circuit like Bahrain was expected. "I already warned about this during the winter test here," the 27-year-old Dutch driver mentioned. "I told my team, 'Watch out, the gap is half a second,' and that has now proven true. So in that sense, I was right."

      After a similarly disappointing performance on Saturday in Sakhir, team principal Horner refrained from speaking to the media as he usually would. "Our car is simply not balanced," team advisor Marko stated late Sunday. "And we don't know what the issue is. I suspect it’s mainly an aerodynamic problem."

      During the emergency meeting following the race, it appears Red Bull decided to implement immediate changes, especially regarding their approach to Fridays at Grand Prix events. "We need to reevaluate our strategy," Marko acknowledged. "For example, we must improve our practice program and optimize our engine usage to better understand our position. We have very talented people, but they need to introspect, and everyone must be open and honest. We know the car isn't competitive. But why is that?"

      For Verstappen, who dismissed his chances of clinching a fifth consecutive title in Bahrain, Marko delivered disappointing news. "In the short term, there’s nothing we can technically do. At least when we are in Europe, we should hopefully see progress. But with this level of performance, we won't be able to defend our world championship title. And that's concerning because we risk losing Max Verstappen." It’s thought that if Verstappen falls out of the top three in the points standings, an exit clause could be activated.

      Marko has openly expressed his worry. "The concern is significant," the Austrian stated. "We need improvements that will enable him to win. We are very worried, and there are ongoing issues at the moment." While the specifics of these issues remain unclear, Sky Deutschland inquired whether Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is becoming increasingly excited about the possibility of signing Verstappen for 2026. "We’re keeping both feet on the ground," Wolff replied. "We’re satisfied with our current situation."

      The challenge for Wolff is that George Russell, whose contract is up for renewal, is currently performing very well. However, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher is convinced otherwise. "I think the game is over," he stated. "The only hope is that a Red Bull suddenly competes for wins in Imola. But from Verstappen’s perspective, it's logical for him to want to compete for victories. He has the chance to choose the best car in the paddock, and clearly, Red Bull is not that right now."

      As rumors about Verstappen leaving heat up, Red Bull may need to consider significant changes, potentially shuffling key figures from their current roles. "That’s not a question that arises at the moment," Marko asserts.