Report: Driver swap between Verstappen and Piastri taking shape, Red Bull searching for solutions

According to the report, Red Bull had granted Verstappen a great deal of freedom over the years. His loyalty historically belonged to the late founder Dietrich Mateschitz as well as the former motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, rather than to the current leadership. The current conflict has developed out of this tension.

Crisis meeting in Salzburg

In June, a crisis meeting took place in Salzburg, attended by Mark Mateschitz and the Thai majority owner Chalerm Yoovidhya. The subject was a possible loss of the four-time world champion. According to the report, Mark Mateschitz is said to be deeply hurt and frustrated that his star driver is not clearly committing to the team.

Departure of key personnel

In parallel with the driver dispute, Red Bull Racing is, by its own account, continuously losing top personnel to the competition. Most recently, the long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase left the team, and the technical authority Paul Monaghan also departed. These departures further exacerbate the sporting crisis.

Verstappen had repeatedly publicly criticized his race car in recent races. His salary at Red Bull is described in the report as record-breaking, and other top teams in the paddock are said to be able to pay a comparable sum.

Outlook on the driver market

The report paints a picture of a relationship that is permanently damaged. Should Verstappen actually activate his exit clause by the deadline running in October, a move to McLaren would be likely. In return, McLaren would release Piastri, who is being handled at Red Bull as the designated successor.

Although the contract formally runs until 2028, Verstappen has not publicly commented on his future so far. Observers interpret this as a further sign that the separation from the current team is becoming increasingly likely.