A Max Verstappen break clause has threatened to make the F1’s silly season even sillier as the Mercedes seat vacated by Lewis Hamilton continues to make waves.
Just one race into the season, it’s already been an explosive start to the year with Hamilton’s bombshell exit for Ferrari and the Christian Horner scandal.
But a report from F1-Insider has thrown a cat among the pigeons, suggesting that Verstappen’s contract is tied to Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko.
The 80-year-old has been a leading voice at Red Bull since 2005 and shares a close relationship with the Dutchman.
In 2022, Verstappen signed a five-year, $55 million extension after his current deal ends at the end of the 2023 season, locking him in until the end of the 2028 season.
Unless, according to the report, Dr. Marko leaves the team.
Last year, there were moves to push Marko out the door, which Horner was reportedly held responsible for.
In January, Marko signed a new deal until the end of the 2026 season.
But Horner’s scandal has lit the fuse on the fresh round of rumors as Verstappen’s father Jos hit out at the 50-year-old Red Bull team principal.
Jos claimed the Red Bull team will “explode” if Horner remains in his job, despite being recently cleared of “inappropriate behavior” towards a female staffer.
Hundreds of leaked WhatsApp messages were sent to F1 teams and media outlets over the weekend, a day after Horner was cleared.
“There is tension here while he (Horner) remains in position,” Jos told the British newspaper The Daily Mail after the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.
“The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode.
“He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.”
Jos was also pictured several times speaking with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in the paddock over the weekend and met with the German for dinner at the Four Seasons hotel.
He said the meeting was merely a “meeting between friends.”
Jos didn’t seem as chummy with Horner however with the pair spotted having an animated discussion following the weekend’s race.
Sure to pour fuel on the fire are Marko’s comments, who was quoted as saying by F1-Insider: “(Regarding Horner) The internal investigations have been completed. I won’t say anything more about it.
Here's everything we know about Christian Horner's sexting scandal
Christian Horner, the team principal of the Red Bull F1 team, is being accused of “inappropriate, controlling behavior” following leaked allegedly salacious messages between him and a female employee.
Horner, who is married to former Spice Girl Gerri Halliwell, allegedly commented to the female employee that it would be good for her to stretch her legs in response to her stating it would be good for him to do so after a long flight, according to reports.
The leak, which was sent to nearly 200 people in a Google document, included nearly 80 images of screenshots with messages to the woman, including: “I keep thinking about Spanx” and “What’s underneath at the moment?”
Horner also allegedly asked the woman for selfies of her in pajamas, and one message referenced what the Daily Mail described as a “solo sex act.”
The employee reportedly asked Horner to stop and attempted to turn the tables by asking him how he would feel if his wife was doing the same thing with an employee, according to reports.
Red Bull Racing cleared Horner of any violations of misconduct following an internal probe.
“I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations,” Horner said Thursday in a statement.
“(Regarding Verstappen’s break clause) As far as I’m concerned, I won’t stand in Max’s way.”
Red Bull insider Gerhard Berger was also asked for his take, reportedly saying: “As of now — Horner stays, Helmut Marko and Adrian Newey quit and Max goes to Mercedes.”
It comes after Red Bull claimed a 1-2 as Max Verstappen claimed a season-opening victory ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in Sakhir.
It’s what Horner used to brush off any talk of disunity.
“A one-two finish like this is the optimum and you don’t get that without being absolutely united, having a strong team and great support from partners and shareholders,” he said.
“You don’t achieve this without being united.”
Asked by Sky Sports if he felt certain he had the backing of the Red Bull owners — including majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya who was with him in Bahrain — and was sure he would be at next weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he replied confidently.
“Backing? Absolutely, yes. And I’ll be there. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here!”
The 50-year-old Briton has guided Red Bull to six constructors’ championship wins and seven drivers’ title triumphs since 2005.
Last year’s Red Bull car won a record 21 of 22 races as the team dominated.
Also telling were Wolff’s comments about the vacant Mercedes seat for 2024.
“I’m in no hurry for us to take a decision on drivers,” Wolff said. “I’ve been rushed in a hurry by Lewis. So, this time around I’m going to take it easy and evaluate the market.”
Does Toto know something else the rest of us don’t? Time will tell it seems.
