Red Bull ready to call Max Verstappen’s bluff if he tries to quit team

Max Verstappen (right) may leave Red Bull if Helmut Marko (centre) is suspended – Getty Images/Jakub Porzycki

Red Bull are prepared to call Max Verstappen’s bluff if he tries to force an exit from the team, Telegraph Sport understands.

There has been speculation that the three-time world champion might try to trigger an ‘escape clause’ in his contract, which allegedly allows him to follow Helmut Marko out of the door should Red Bull’s Austrian motorsport advisor ever leave.

Marko, 80, suggested on Friday night that he might do exactly that as the fallout from the recent investigation into Red Bull team principal Christian Horner continues apace.

But Telegraph Sport understands Red Bull GmBH’s majority owner Chalerm Yoodivhya is adamant he will not be held to ransom, and is willing to test the legality of the ‘escape clause’ in Verstappen’s contract or even let him walk away.

Chalerm Yoovidhya (right) holds the biggest stake in Red Bull and is said to be the most important supporter of the embattled team principal – Getty Images/Qian Jun

Yoodivhya, who owns 51 per cent of Red Bull GmBH, is understood to have told Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen at a summit meeting in Dubai on Monday that “no one was bigger than the team”.

Horner has been cleared of wrongdoing by an internal investigation but remains under intense pressure, not least from within, having fallen out badly with both Marko and Jos Verstappen, the Red Bull driver’s father.

Marko triggered widespread speculation on Friday night when he told Austrian broadcaster ORF that he could be “suspended” very soon.

It was unclear why he said that, although there is known to be a second investigation ongoing into the leaks which occurred during the course of the Horner investigation.

Some believe Marko was trying to bait Red Bull into sacking him, clearing the way for Verstappen to trigger the widely-reported ‘escape clause’ in his contract. After Marko gave his ORF interview, Verstappen told media that he would “not continue” at Red Bull without his mentor.

The chances of Marko departing appeared to recede on Saturday. The 80 year-old arrived at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah together with Red Bull GmBH’s head of sport Oliver Mintzlaff, and they clearly tried to quell some of the speculation.

Not only did Mintzlaff tell media in Jeddah that he was “happy with the management” of the race team, a strong show of support for Horner, Marko then said that he had had “a good conversation” with Mintzlaff, adding: “No more rumours, I will stay”.

If Marko does end up leaving, and Verstappen does try to trigger his escape clause, it is unclear whether he would walk immediately, with 20 races of this season still remaining, or at the end of 2024 or 2025.

Mercedes have a seat available next year with Lewis Hamilton departing for Ferrari, and the Brackley team have been strongly linked with a move for Verstappen. Red Bull declined to comment.

Asked after George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished sixth and ninth respectively in Saturday’s race whether he would like Verstappen at Mercedes, Wolff said he would “love” him but that Mercedes needed to “sort out” their car first.

“Let’s word it like this,” Wolff said. “I think this is a decision that Max needs to take and there is no team up and down the grid that wouldn’t do handstands to have him in the car.”

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