Verstappen’s future at Red Bull questioned after poor season start

Red Bull Racing senior advisor Helmut Marko has expressed serious concerns about Max Verstappen’s future with the team — following the disappointing performance of the RB21 car in early 2025.

“The concern is great. Improvements have to come in the near future so that he has a car with which he can win again,” Marko told Sky Germany.

After four races, Verstappen sits third in the standings with 69 points — trailing McLaren duo Lando Norris (77 points) and Oscar Piastri (74 points). The Dutch driver has claimed just one victory this season, in Japan.

Despite having a contract until 2028, Verstappen‘s future at Red Bull is now in question due to performance clauses in his agreement. The Milton Keynes-based team held crisis talks following technical issues at the Bahrain GP — including faulty pit stop equipment.

Team principal Christian Horner stated they understand the source of the problems, but need time to address them. With the next race coming this weekend, Red Bull must act quickly to challenge McLaren.