Otmar Szafnauer maintained that Christian Horner must keep Max Verstappen on board for 2025. Red Bull has encountered a challenging period since the beginning of 2024. There were rumors of internal strife within the team after an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior. Aeronautical expert decided to depart from the Austrian team after nearly twenty years. Now, there are rumors circulating that might be considering leaving Red Bull.
Former Formula 1 team manager emphasized Verstappen’s significance for Milton Keynes. The Romanian-American stated that if he were in ‘s position, he would do everything possible to retain the Dutch driver. Currently, Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until 2028. However, Mercedes has shown increasing interest in signing the 26-year-old.
Furthermore, Szafnauer argued that even for Verstappen, Red Bull remains the best choice for 2025 and beyond if the team continues to perform at the current level. The Austrian team will remain unchanged for the next season, except for Adrian Newey’s departure. Therefore, there is no real reason for Max Verstappen to leave Milton Keynes at this time.
The 2024 transfer season commenced with Lewis Hamilton’s surprising move to Ferrari. This opened up speculation about potential transfers, including 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli’s chances of racing for the Silver Arrows. Additionally, the internal tensions at Red Bull left fans questioning whether Max Verstappen would depart from the Austrian team.
Otmar Szafnauer affirmed that in his 26 years of experience, he had never witnessed such a busy driver market in Formula 1. However, the former team manager insisted that teams needed to set aside such speculation and focus on their efforts to avoid being influenced by what was happening in the paddock.
Undoubtedly, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the 2025 F1 grid, with nearly a dozen drivers without contracts for the upcoming season. It is evident that fans will witness some exciting transfers in the upcoming months as teams and drivers secure their futures. However, it would be intriguing to know Max Verstappen’s thought process for 2025.