Although one clause that would have allowed Max Verstappen to leave Red Bull has reportedly been removed from his contract, another loophole seemingly exists that would allow the Dutchman to drive for another team well before his current contract expires.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit are still well-placed to win both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships, but they have been made to work harder for it than they might have expected – after breezing to both trophies last season.
In recent months, Red Bull’s advantage over the rest of the paddock seems to be diminishing, with their last victory coming in Spain five races ago. The Dutch driver will be looking to put to his side’s dip in form at his home race this weekend. However, if Red Bull’s woes continue, it could seemingly lead to a situation where the 26-year-old is able to walk away from his contract.
How Red Bull’s Performance is Tied Into Verstappen’s Deal
The three-time world champion has the longest contract of any F1 driver, but he does have an escape clause
Per a report from De Telegraf, Verstappen’s contract had previously contained a number of exit clauses. One of these – termed the ‘Helmut Marko clause’ – would have allowed Max to depart if team director Marko left his role.
However, this is no longer the case after both sides agreed to a reworking of the deal. Despite this, there is one final way that Verstappen would be permitted to call time on his career at Red Bull prematurely.
The Dutch superstar’s agreement is said to feature a number of ‘necessary performance clauses’ that could be triggered if Red Bull’s dominance of the sport begins to wane. Should results slip to the point that Verstappen can ‘no longer manage on his own’, he would then be allowed to leave.
Such clauses are usually inserted into a contract to allow a team to axe an underperforming driver. Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez survived a recent mid-season performance review, which could have resulted in his termination, under the same clause.
While a dip in results doesn’t equate to a full-on crisis, there are potentially some choppy waters ahead for Christian Horner’s team. Chief technology officer Adrian Newey has confirmed that he will be leaving ‘in early 2025’, with Jonathan Wheatley also departing his role as sporting director to become team principal for Audi F1.
It would take a catastrophic turn of events for it to happen, but if Red Bull were to completely implode in the second half of the current season, then Verstappen would seemingly have legal grounds to walk away at the end of the ongoing campaign.
Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff has made no secret of the fact that he views Verstappen as his preferred long-term replacement for the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton. However, despite the recent revelations regarding his contract, Mercedes have accepted that they won’t land their man in 2025, with F2 driver Kimi Antonelli expected to make the step up after a promising debut season in the sport.
Both Verstappen and Perez will be hoping to put in a strong performance in front of the Orange Army at Zandvoort this weekend and arrest Red Bull’s uncharacteristic slide in fortunes. Although Verstappen still has a commanding lead over Lando Norris at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, Red Bull are facing a real battle with McLaren if they are to retain the Constructors’ Championship.
Verstappen has rarely had to settle for second-best in recent years. He’s unlikely to remain at Red Bull in the long term unless their form improves drastically.
