Red Bull Racing have been in McLaren boss Zak Brown’s radar ever since the former were found guilty of violating the cost cap rule in 2022. Moreover, with his team closing the gap to the top, Brown is mulling physiological pressure on the drink based outfit to demoralise them ahead of 2026 season.
Interestingly, Adrian Newey’s early exit from the team served as a opportunity for Zak Brown to further pull Red Bull down. After his resumes flying comment, the McLaren CEO has now taken a stern dig at the tense environment in Milton Keynes, stating that fear of mass exodus will lead to a complete fallout.
Zak Brown Calls Out Instability In Red Bull Following Adrian Newey’s Departure
Adrian Newey’s unscheduled departure announcement invited criticism from all ends for Red Bull Racing. McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who has been a vocal critic of the drink-based outfit, was the first to raise concerns about a mass exodus. He even stated that resumes are flying around the paddock as many engineers in Milton Keynes wish to no longer work for the team in the absence of Newey. Now, in the latest attack, Brown has called out the team’s toxic environment. While talking to media at the Canadian Grand Prix, Zak Brown said RB is harboring a very toxic culture as instability following Newey’s exit could trigger a mass exodus.
Zak Brown added that a fear of mass exodus would push the investors and sponsors’ way as the people pouring in will closely evaluate the situation that they are getting into. Not only that, the McLaren boss highlighted uncertainty over Max Verstappen’s future. He believes that while Max has a contract, Helmut Marko’s potential exit can prove to be a game changer. “You have the whole Verstappen drama. Is he staying, or is he leaving? Max has a contract, only his father is pretty outspoken,” Brown said. All these factors have caused a higher level of discomfort within the team right now, Brown says. And it’s only a matter of time before Red Bull collapses as a team if they continue to function like this. That being said, Red Bull has so far denied these accusations of instability, citing complete harmony in the leadership group.
Max Verstappen Reconsidering Future Amid Red Bull’s Evolving Landscape
Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger has dropped a sensational claim on Max Verstappen’s future in the sport. Despite having a contract till 2028, Berger believes Max is open to switch teams in the future. He is apparently contemplating on what his future would look like with Red Bull without mentor Helmut Marko and technical chief Adrian Newey.
“When Max realizes that his car is starting to weaken and sees an advantage elsewhere, he will seize this opportunity,” Berger said. That being said, Gerhard Beger also ruled out Verstappen’s imminent move to Mercedes as the German manufacturer’s car is not competitive enough. While Toto Wolff is shooting his hot, Max is unlikely to consider Brackley until they have a suitable car.
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