Red Bull racing official has confirmed that there is a secret clause included in Max Verstappen's contract that could change everything.
Verstappen looks almost certain to win the 2024 Formula One Driver's Championship, as he leads second-placed Lando Norris by 52 points with six grand prix weekends remaining.
The 2024 title will be the fourth successive championship claimed by Verstappen, who has dominated the sport in recent years.
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But it a secret detail in his contract with Red Bull has now been revealed and it could have a massive impact on the future of the sport.
As revealed by Helmut Marko, director of the Red Bull Formula One teams and head of driver development, there is a release clause included in Verstappen's contract which has caused concern within the team's management.
“The danger is there,” Marko told sport.de.
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“Max is not the type to beat [Michael] Schumacher’s or [Lewis] Hamilton’s records. When he’s in the car, he wants to win. But the environment has to be right. If the whole thing no longer suits him, you can expect him to say from one day to the next: That’s it!
“Most top drivers have exit clauses that are performance-related. Max has one too. This means that if we can’t provide him with a car in which he can drive at the front, that is certainly something he will consider.”
The news will worry Red Bull fans as recently Verstappen has been linked with a move away from the team, with rumours suggesting that he was considering making a move to either Mercedes or Aston Martin.
And, having already lost legendary Formula One designer Adrian Newey last month, risking losing their star driver could be catastrophic for Red Bull.
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Verstappen has clearly frustrated with the team's performance in recent months as, having won seven of the first 10 races this season, he has failed to add another win to his season total since the Spanish Grand Prix on June 23.
"I have been saying for weeks that we need to bring more performance to our car and everyone in the team knows that as well," confessed Verstappen after the Spanish GP.
"So far, it looks like everyone around us is bringing more updates than we do.
Topics: Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Helmut Marko, Mercedes, Formula 1, Michael Schumacher, Red Bull Racing
Ben McCrum