“It Is Quiet in the Team“: Max Verstappen Hints at His Departure After Helmut Marko’s Firing Rumors at Jeddah

Red Bull’s on-track dominance remains consistent and so does the rumored internal tension. The Christian Horner investigation brought out the team’s dirty laundry. Max Verstappen‘s father, Jos Verstappen, even confirmed the ‘power struggle’ within the team where Horner was reportedly pitted against Helmut Marko. And soon enough, the ultimate threat of Verstappen’s shock exit surfaced.

As the weeks pass, the tension within the Milton Keynes outfit seems to be subsiding. The focus is shifting from the non-essentials to the fundamental goal of being the World Champions again. But what cannot be forgotten is that Helmut Marko confirmed that he could be suspended from Red Bull at the 2nd race weekend of 2024 in Jeddah.

Immediately after this report, Max Verstappen declared that Marko’s suspension would “not (be) good” for his situation as well. It was later confirmed that the Dutchman’s contract had an exit clause dependent on Marko’s stay. Recently, the 3-time champion was asked again about his commitment to Red Bull.

“What is very important to me is that it is quiet in the team, that everyone focuses on the car and performance,” Verstappen told De Telegraaf. “I also feel now that it is calmer than at the beginning of the season. After my first world title in 2021, I signed a long deal with Red Bull for a reason. All I want is a quiet and peaceful environment. As long as I’m happy with the team, there’s no reason to leave.”

As long as calm prevails and strong results follow, any driver would logically stay with the team. Interestingly, Verstappen’s words about “peace” come only days after Marko’s similar statement.

Helmut Marko echoes Max Verstappen with “urgent” Red Bull demand

Helmut Marko is known for his unabashed nature. From his stance on underperforming drivers to the car’s performance, he never holds back. But after the Christian Horner case, he has been relatively measuring his words. His latest comments on the Horner case also indicate a need for calmness within Red Bull.

“Basically, it’s about bringing calm to the team and that is urgently needed,” Marko said. “As we saw in Australia, Ferrari is on hand if we don’t deliver. Other factors also played a role, but the goal has to be the fourth World Championship title in a row. Everything else has to be subordinated to that.”

Though the accuser in the Horner case has filed a new appeal, the uneasiness within Red Bull seems to be de-escalating. Hopefully, it should only be a matter of time before this grim chapter closes with fair and transparent conclusions, so that competitive racing prevails.