Verstappen tells flailing Red Bull team to 'wake up'

Jul.21 (GMM) A clearly angry Max Verstappen on Saturday said some of his fellow Red Bull colleagues need to “wake up” to the team’s declining performance.

The Dutchman banged his fists on the steering wheel after both McLarens – unchanged since Silverstone – qualified ahead of Verstappen’s heavily updated car at the Hungaroring.

“That is also why I am frustrated,” he told De Telegraaf afterwards in a frank interview. “I had hoped that it (the update) would have given us more.

“I know now that, this way, it will be twelve long races.”

Team advisor Dr Helmut Marko said late on Friday that despite McLaren’s one-lap pace, the updated Red Bull was actually quicker on a ‘long run’.

Verstappen disagrees.

“On Friday I already thought it wasn’t optimal, so maybe we have a different opinion about that,” said the triple world champion.

“Not everyone understands the situation, I think. With me, they know that I don’t make excuses. Maybe not everyone is on the same wavelength. I think some people might need to wake up a little bit.”

His comments come amid revelations in the Dutch media that, amid the intense power struggle at the team, Red Bull recently tweaked Marko’s contract so that the 81-year-old’s departure would not also allow Verstappen to jump ship.

Red Bull’s new CEO Oliver Mintzlaff reportedly convinced Marko to agree to the amendment in the interest of team harmony, with Christian Horner and Verstappen’s father Max also now on better terms.

Therefore, it seems more and more likely that Verstappen will definitely still be at Red Bull in 2025.

“I don’t think I did my laps badly,” said the championship leader when asked about qualifying in Hungary by the broadcaster Viaplay. “It’s just that the car is not good enough. It’s too sensitive and it’s too slow.

“Of course it’s not all bad,” Verstappen added, “but if you want to become world champion, it has to go better than this.”