Red Bull’s Crisis Deepens: Leaked Meeting Sparks Speculation Over Verstappen’s Future After Bahrain GP Debacle

The 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix has plunged Red Bull Racing into turmoil, with a leaked emergency meeting exposing tensions over Max Verstappen’s future and the team’s plummeting performance. Finishing a distant sixth, 34 seconds behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Verstappen’s frustration was palpable as brake issues, poor grip, and botched pit stops derailed his race. The fallout has ignited speculation about whether the four-time world champion could activate an exit clause in his contract, potentially leaving Red Bull before 2026. As rival teams like Mercedes and Aston Martin loom, the Milton Keynes outfit faces a critical juncture that could reshape Formula 1’s landscape.

Red Bull’s woes in Bahrain were a stark contrast to their 2024 dominance, where Verstappen led by 22 seconds. This year, the RB21’s lack of pace was glaring, compounded by operational errors. Two slow pit stops—one delayed by a faulty release light, another by a stuck front-right tire—cost Verstappen valuable time, dropping him into traffic. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, called the performance “very worrying,” admitting the team is “not competitive.” The emergency meeting, attended by Marko, team principal Christian Horner, technical director Pierre Waché, and chief engineer Paul Monaghan, focused on urgent car upgrades and Verstappen’s growing discontent. Notably, Verstappen skipped the debrief, signaling his frustration.

Reports of a heated confrontation between Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, and Marko in the garage added fuel to the fire. Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz described Vermeulen giving Marko “a piece of his mind,” highlighting the strain within the team. Verstappen’s contract, which runs until 2028, reportedly includes a clause allowing him to leave if he falls below third in the drivers’ championship. Currently third, just six points ahead of George Russell, Verstappen’s position is precarious. Marko’s pre-race warning that upgrades must arrive within “the next couple of races” or risk losing Verstappen underscores the urgency.

The team’s technical struggles are multifaceted. Verstappen complained of persistent brake issues, even after a supplier change before the race, and a lack of grip that made cornering nearly impossible. Horner revealed a troubling disconnect between wind tunnel data and on-track performance, echoing Mercedes’ past correlation issues. “The solutions we see in our tools do not match the circuit,” Horner admitted, signaling a long road to recovery. With no major upgrades expected before the European races, Red Bull faces a grueling triple-header in Saudi Arabia and Miami with a car that trails McLaren’s pace.

Verstappen’s post-race comments to Viaplay reflected his exasperation: “I had no pace at all, really zero.” When pressed about team discussions, he dismissed the idea, saying, “I’m not feeling like it right now.” His diplomatic restraint, praised by pundit Eric van Haren, masked a deeper frustration that could spell trouble. Sky F1’s Martin Brundle speculated that a Verstappen move to Mercedes could upend their lineup, noting team principal Toto Wolff’s regret over missing him once before. “If Max sprung into the marketplace, I’d be worried for George,” Brundle said, hinting at a potential shakeup for 2026.

Red Bull’s decline has been linked to the departures of key figures like Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, and Honda’s reduced involvement, eroding their technical edge. Social media buzz on X reflects divided sentiment, with some fans urging Verstappen to stay loyal, citing his deep ties to Red Bull, while others see his exit as inevitable if performance doesn’t improve. As the team scrambles to regain form, the question looms: can Red Bull salvage their season and keep their star driver, or is Verstappen’s departure a matter of when, not if?