The official announcement of Adrian Newey’s departure is the latest shockwave in the F1 arena. Oracle Red Bull confirmed that Newey will leave the technical set-up during the first quarter of 2025. However, his exit might have a lasting effect on the RBR team. The internal political chaos and controversies surrounding Christian Horner have created a toxic environment. The reigning world champions are under scrutiny as their veteran designer leaves the team. 

Addressing the mayhem, Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, stirred up the tension. The ex-F1 driver’s remark suggests upcoming drastic changes in the F1 grid. The headache is far from over for Red Bull, as their star racer might be the next on the ‘exit’ list. 

The Team Might’ Fall Apart,’ Says Jos Verstappen

Max Verstappen has been with the energy drink-based outfit since his F1 debut. The Dutchman has won three consecutive world titles and is on the brink of winning his fourth. However, despite a dominant run at RBR, the internal power dispute and Horner’s sexual misconduct case have created doubts over Versateppen’s future at Red Bull. Moreover, with Newey’s exit, the noise of doubts is creeping in. During an interaction with the press, Jos Verstappen said they’re ‘open’ to anything. Sr. Verstappen wants to keep the forthcoming 2026 regulations in mind while making a move. Since the Red Bull is set to manufacture its own engines with Ford, Jos is skeptical about their performance. 

After Newey’s exit, Jos fears Red Bull might ‘fall apart.’ In an interview with De Telegraaf, the ex-F1 driver expressed his distress regarding RBR’s future. He believes it is crucial to restore internal peace amid chaotic management. The Dutchman has been a critique of Christian Horner’s leadership. Thus, this was not the first time he aimed at Horner. 

‘People Make Meetings,’ Toto Wolff Slams Rumors 

The past week was full of rumors and speculation about Max Verstappen’s dream transfer to Mercedes. Toto Wolff observed the internal turmoil as tension was building up at Red Bull. The reigning world champion was on Wolff’s radar as he wanted a replacement for Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes boss has shown interest in Verstappen and regrets not signing him a decade ago. 

Therefore, rumors of a meeting between Mercedes personnel and Verstappen surfaced. However, in a recent media interaction, Wolff debunked all the rumors. He said ‘people make meetings’ and regarded the rumors as baseless. He added that there is no plan for a meeting with Verstappen or his manager, Raymond Vermeulen. Despite the Austrian executive’s dismissal of all rumors, it is widely known that he is interested in hiring Verstappen. Thus, It’ll be intriguing to see whether the ‘transfer’ was a baseless rumor or whether Mercedes is planning a significant move.