Alleged cracks at Red Bull
Power struggle “bullshit” pisses Verstappen off
October 20, 2023, 7:14 p.m
After his third world title, Max Verstappen is set to set more records in the final stretch of this Formula 1 season. Will rumors of a power struggle within his team become a disruptive factor? The Dutchman speaks plainly.
Freshly painted with the Texas flag, Max Verstappen’s company car floated in the sky above Austin. Before the Formula 1 race in the south of the USA, the advertising campaign with a helicopter provided the right image of the triple world champion, who is always aiming high. Verstappen could take victory number 50 with him on Sunday (9 p.m.) on his fast journey through the record books of the racing series. “We focus on the weekend, not on the number,” the Dutchman routinely claimed.
The 26-year-old became clearer when it came to the rumors of cracks in the extremely successful Red Bull team that were blowing through the paddock before the second US guest game of the season. “That’s nonsense. The mood in the team is good. Everyone knows their role. People are talking bullshit from outside,” said Verstappen in a firm voice. It’s strange that the serial winner has to do something like this just a few days after his third World Cup triumph in a row.
“Everyone on the team is very important for success”
The speculation that team boss Christian Horner wants to force long-time Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko out of the team echoed throughout the Circuit of the Americas. In addition, there are the ongoing questions about the retirement of Verstappen’s colleague Sergio Pérez, who has been ailing for months, and these are becoming more and more pressing shortly before the Mexican’s home race. “Everyone in the team is very important for success, so I don’t see any changes in the future,” Verstappen assured in the style of a press spokesman.
In view of the champion’s sporting superiority, competitors and observers of Formula 1 gratefully accept any hint of supposed unrest. Even denials only help to a limited extent. Boss Horner relegated the forced resignation of his former sponsor Marko to the realm of myth: “As long as he wants to continue – he is a very sprightly 80-year-old – I don’t see any change in our cooperation.”
Because of a power struggle. The Austrian Marko has lost Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who died a year ago, as a confidant and job guarantor. But he “still has a very valuable role in the team,” Horner dictated to the British “Mirror” shortly before the trip to Austin. Marko himself made it clear via “Austria”: “I have a contract until the end of next year. When and how I stop, when it ends, I decide and not, for example, Mr. Horner.”
Perez, who counts heavily, promotes himself
Pérez, who was heavily criticized, also diligently pursued crisis PR on his own behalf. No, he is not thinking about quitting anytime soon, as some experts have already announced, said the 33-year-old in Texas. Rather, he wants to fulfill his contract, which runs until the end of 2024, “100 percent” and continue driving afterwards. The only question is whether they still see it the same way at Red Bull. The gap to the outstanding Verstappen is “simply too big,” complained the supposedly still important team advisor Marko. The world champion has collected 209 points more than Pérez in the overall standings, and Verstappen would also lead the team standings on his own. In general, Pérez, like the rest of the field, pales behind the flying Dutchman’s statistics.
Verstappen has already led 769 laps this year, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s season record with five races to go. He is heading for the biggest championship lead in history and can once again improve his own winning record from last year. Back then he won 15 Grand Prix, now he has already won 14. It is quite possible that Verstappen will still be in third place on the all-time list of race winners by the end of the year. He could soon overtake Alain Prost with 51 successes and Vettel with 53. Only Lewis Hamilton (103) and Michael Schumacher (91) are still a bit away. Verstappen can already reduce the distance again in Texas – Red Bull and its unleashed chief driver can only stop themselves at the moment.