Max Verstappen and Mercedes have been fierce rivals since 2021. The Silver Arrows had won the constructor title that year. But they lost the Driver’s World Championship to the Dutch racer in 2021. It was a shocking and even controversial end to the epic 2021 season. Lewis Hamilton was cruising on to win his fifth championship in a row and eighth overall that year. Meanwhile, Red Bull was able to provide the Dutchman with a car worthy to challenge Hamilton and his car. That’s all Max ever needed. Eventually, Verstappen broke the hearts of several Hamilton fans. However, the 2021 season could not have been more epic without the controversial finale in Abu Dhabi.
Nevertheless, what followed after the 2021 season was nothing short of sheer dominance. Red Bull won 17 races in 2022, and then they won 21 races in 2023. However, it would not have been possible if Max was out of the equation. The Dutch racer won 15 Grands Prix in 2022 and 19 last year. In those two years, Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez managed to win only four races. That’s how dominating Max Verstappen has been with Red Bull since 2021. However, this dominance may come to an end if Max makes a shocking move to Mercedes soon.
How Can Max Verstappen Leave Red Bull Before 2028?
According to the current contract, the Dutch racer will stay with the Austrian outfit till 2028. However, there is a secret clause in the contract that can end the Verstappen-Red Bull collaboration before 2028. That clause says Helmut Marko can determine how long Max stays part of the Austrian outfit. Currently, the F1 world is gearing up for the Australian Grand Prix. Lately, however, PlanetF1.com has shared a few things about the current state of the Red Bull team. First of all, the parent company of the Milton Keynes outfit will back Christian Horner even if that means they have to let Max go.
Lately, the Thai majority shareholders said they got Horner’s back. However, the second thing is all the more interesting. It is about the secret clause that says if the 80-year-old senior advisor leaves Red Bull, the Dutchman can leave them, too. Moreover, there is a rumor that Marko did not know when they inserted that clause. But this contract clause is very much achievable through the senior advisor’s role as a director of Red Bull Racing. However, as F1 turns to the Australian GP, there has been a cooling of tensions between the leading figures of the Austrian team.
Former F1 Racer Warns Max Of Making A Stupid Mistake Of Leaving Red Bull Soon
Recently, in an interview with OCB Scores, Giancarlo Fisichella mentioned that anything is possible in life and F1. Nobody expected Lewis Hamilton to close the deal with Ferrari and leave Mercedes after such a long time. However, the former F1 driver said there is no guarantee that Max Verstappen will join Mercedes next year. However, Max is now getting just the best of everything in their current position. Moreover, Fisichella said he has the best team and the best car right now.
Hence, the former F1 racer thinks it would be really stupid on Verstappen’s part if he leaves them now. Moreover, the salary is good at Red Bull. However, it could be even more in Mercedes. But Fisichella wants to point out that Max has the “Winning car,” thanks to Red Bull. As a result, he is at the top of the world right now. Hence, the question arises, “Why move to another team?” Whatever the reason is, Max must ask himself if it’s really worth it.
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