Even though an exit clause will soon become invalid, Christian Horner knows that he won’t be able to keep Max Verstappen at Red Bull against his will
Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull seems to be virtually assured, as a possible exit clause for the Dutchman will expire in two races. But as I said: virtually. Because Red Bull team boss Christian Horner knows that even a valid contract in Formula 1 is no 100% guarantee.
“Drivers have performance clauses in their contracts, and there are certain times of the year – usually around the summer – when such things come to a head,” he says. “But I think the relationship with a driver has to go beyond what’s on a piece of paper.”
“It’s about the driver’s well-being within the team, about his confidence in the team,” says Horner. In other words, even if the four-time world champion is among the top four drivers in the standings after Austria, which according to research by Motorsport.com is supposed to be the basic condition, Red Bull will hardly be able to keep Verstappen against his will.
After all, there are always mechanisms for terminating a contract – financial ones if necessary. The question is therefore: What does Red Bull want? And what does Max Verstappen want?
There has never been any question that Red Bull wants anyone other than its star driver, so it all comes down to Verstappen’s wishes. And Horner is not worried about that: “There have never been any discussions with Max about him going anywhere else. His commitment is absolute,” emphasizes the Brit.
Nevertheless, Horner is aware that the team cannot rely solely on things staying as they are. “So for us, it’s about: How can we improve? How can we get better? And not about what’s written on a piece of paper,” he says.
“I always think: If you have to refer to a contract, you have a problem. It’s about the relationship with the driver and both sides trusting each other.”
Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull officially runs until the end of 2028.
