Max Verstappen’s father Jos believes Red Bull are running the risk of ‘falling apart’ without Adrian Newey overseeing their technical department.
Last year, it was announced that Newey would be leaving to join Aston Martin after nearly two decades at Red Bull. He is one of several key figures to have departed in recent months, with the likes of Jonathan Wheatley and Will Courtenay following suit.
Red Bull introduced a series of upgrades following Newey’s exit but they failed to have the desired impact, with the reigning champions slipping behind McLaren and Ferrari in the pecking order.
Verstappen still managed to win the Drivers’ Championship but his father Jos believes it will be tougher in 2025 without Newey running the show behind the scenes.
“I’m a little doubtful,” said Jos. “Red Bull needs to build a car that is more predictable in all conditions. Looking at the second half of 2024, you can’t be optimistic.
“Red Bull just hasn’t managed to make the car consistently fast, so why should that be the case this year?”
Asked if he thought Red Bull’s decline was linked to Newey’s departure, he replied: “I think so. As for Newey, it is a fact that the car did not improve when he left the team. In particular, the updates no longer worked as intended.
“I have talked enough about the reasons why the team is in danger of falling apart. Let’s leave it at that. One thing is certain: Red Bull has a big task ahead of it in 2025.”
Verstappen remains tied down to Red Bull until 2028 but it has been speculated that he could leave early if they fail to provide him with a competitive car.
Quizzed on his son’s future with the team, Jos said: “Anything is possible. He can stay at Red Bull if he sees the point in it. His goal is still to be able to win races. If he feels that this is no longer possible at Red Bull, a change is not out of the question.”
The Dutchman will have a new team-mate this year, with Liam Lawson having been drafted in to replace Sergio Perez following the latter’s dismissal at the end of last season.
Jos believes it will be impossible for the Kiwi to keep up with Verstappen, urging him to focus on developing the car rather than trying to win the inter-team battle.
“He should not make the mistake I made at Benetton in 1994, trying to keep up with Max at all costs,” said Jos. “He should do his own thing. Hopefully he has a similar driving style to Max, then they can improve the car together.”
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