Adrian Newey has been the pillar of Red Bull’s success since his admission to the team. Courtesy of his cars, the Austrian team has six constructors and seven drivers’ championships, so far. However, despite his shock departure, Max Verstappen is not worried. Ahead of important regulation changes in 2026, the Dutchman is “fairly confident” in his team.
“He’s not totally concerned about losing Adrian Newey. I mean there is a bit of concern obviously with the new regulation change that is coming for 2026. But he feels fairly confident with the technical structure that’s still in place with the like of Pierre Waché, “ said Tim Hauraney in the Nailing the Apex podcast.
The host of the show got some face time with the Dutchman, who expressed this confidence when quizzed about Newey’s departure. Hauraney also revealed in his assessment of the current situation at Red Bull that the team is built around the three-time champion, not Newey. So, there is confidence in the Austrian team’s technical division.
However, when the host followed up with the Verstappen, he did not completely rule out joining another team. According to Hauraney, the reigning champion admitted no one ever knows what the future holds. So, despite showcasing confidence in Red Bull after Newey’s departure, there is still an air of uncertainty. A scenario Toto Wolff is trying to exploit.
Max Verstappen addresses Mercedes alleged mega-money offer
Ever since the allegations that gave birth to the internal turmoil in Red Bull, Toto Wolff has been on his toes to exploit it. For the Mercedes boss, Max Verstappen will be a perfect replacement for Lewis Hamilton. This is exactly why there have been multiple rumors linking the two. However, Verstappen put an end to the rumors, especially addressing the latest mega $270 million offer.
As quoted by RacingNews365, he said, “My future is within Red Bull at the moment. [Even €250 million isn’t enough], because I’m happy with what I am earning and it is about performance. Because I know that if I was driving for P5 or P6, I’d get quite grumpy and so it is always about performance – everyone knows that. Toto also knows that.”
So, the Mercedes boss’s sweet talking won’t have an impact and neither will the big bucks. The Dutchman wants to see performance and at the moment the Silver Arrows is nowhere near Red Bull. For now, Verstappen looks on course to fulfilling his contract till 2028. If he makes a shift to the Brackley outfit, it will only be an improvement and performance-based move.
