A veteran F1 journalist holds Red Bull accountable for Max Verstappen's failure to win the Saudi Arabian GP last weekend

Helmut Marko’s presence remains one pillar keeping Verstappen grounded at Red Bull, but contractual escape routes are already in place. One clause reportedly allows Verstappen to exit if he’s outside the top three in the standings by mid-season — a possibility that’s swung wildly across the first five rounds.

Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff has issued a confident verdict surrounding the future of the Formula 1 team's star driver Max Verstappen . Verstappen has been linked with a move away from the Milton Keynes-based outfit, despite having secured four consecutive world championship titles between 2021-2024.