Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull Racing has been plunged into fresh doubt ahead of the this weekend's Miami Grand Prix.
Last week, it was reported that Red Bull’s chief designer Adrian Newey is thinking about leaving the team.
Red Bull later released a statement which read: “Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025 and we are unaware of him joining any other team.”
However, despite that statement, Newey continues to be linked with a move away, which could also lead to Verstappen’s potential exit.
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The current Formula 1 champion has a contract until 2028 but has been linked with a move to Mercedes.
Newey has played a huge part in Verstappen’s success as the Brit is often regarded as the best car designer in F1 history.
As reported by Motorsport Italy, Newey has been approached by Mercedes and they are set to meet after this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
In addition, recent reports have stated that Mercedes are preparing a huge offer in a bid to lure Verstappen to the team.
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Soy Motor reported that the Brackley-based team are set to offer Verstappen a contract worth €150 million, as well as an ambassadorial role.
Apart from Mercedes, Newey has also been linked with moving to Italian team Ferrari.
Speaking at the Japanese Grand Prix earlier in the month, Verstappen spoke about Newey’s importance to the team.
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He said: “We have a lot of people working on the car right, so it's a whole team effort that has to come together.
“Everyone's ideas get taken into account and you build the car that we have today, so yeah for sure, having someone part of the team like Adrian, I think it's a massive boost for everyone and many people work together to achieve the car we have today.”
Topics: Max Verstappen, Formula 1, Mercedes, Red Bull Racing
Marcus Chan