Former driver Ralf Schumacher examines the current state of affairs at Red Bull. According to the current analyst, the relationship between the Austrian racing team and driver Max Verstappen has come under even more pressure after the British GP. The driver is reportedly not the only party that is dissatisfied. “There are also reports that Red Bull blames Verstappen for not making it clear that he would not activate his escape clause“, according to Schumacher.
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The rumors about Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull have gripped the paddock again in recent weeks. The crash in Silverstone seems to have further fueled the speculation. It was the second in a row for Verstappen where the rear wing of his RB22 did not close properly. According to former driver Ralf Schumacher, more and more cracks are appearing in the relationship between Verstappen and Red Bull.
“The main topic this weekend was of course Red Bull,” he begins in the Backstage Boxengasse podcast. “As far as Max Verstappen is concerned, I feel that more and more rumors are coming. There is a lot of talk in the paddock. It seems that the relationship between Verstappen and Red Bull is under increasing pressure and may even be irreparably damaged.”
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‘Dissatisfaction not one-sided’
According to Schumacher, however, the dissatisfaction is not one-sided. “According to the stories I have heard, Red Bull management left early,” he continues. “There are also reports that they blamed Verstappen for not making it clear at the Red Bull Ring, when everyone (from Red Bull management, ed.) was present, that he would not activate his escape clause.”
Apart from the escape clause, Schumacher then suggested that a deeper trust issue is emerging. “I think that after last weekend in Silverstone, in which Max had to retire again, another problem has become clearer. Internally, it seems that Max has different ideas about how and when energy should be used. And about what setup the car needs. The team now seems to insist that certain decisions be made their way. So there is also disagreement in that area, and that naturally leads to a breach of trust between driver and team.”
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