Red Bull’s Performance Woes and Managerial Discussions Unveiled

Sky Sports F1 pit lane reporter, Ted Kravitz, has shed light on the behind-the-scenes discussions between Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, and Red Bull motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko. The revelations come amid Red Bull’s challenging start to the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Red Bull’s Troubles in the First Four Races

The Milton Keynes outfit has been grappling with car performance issues in the initial four races of the season. The RB21 wasn’t the only problem they encountered during the Bahrain Grand Prix. They also faced multiple delayed pit stops due to a wiring loom issue on the pit gantry, exacerbating their troubles.

Helmut Marko, commenting after the race, expressed his concerns:”This day was incredibly challenging for Red Bull, and it’s evident to everyone. We need to regain performance in the car as soon as possible and also improve our pit stop standards. The car isn’t the fastest, and when pit stops aren’t working, that’s unacceptable.

The Alarming Bahrain Issues

When asked about the gravity of these issues by Motorsport.com, Marko added:”These problems are extremely concerning. We know we’re not competitive, and there will be upgrades coming in upcoming races, hopefully bringing improvement.

We have numerous problems,” Marko continued. “The primary issue is balance and grip. And from this, the brake issues arose. Then, our usual pit stop procedures malfunctioned, one problem after another.

Speculation over Verstappen’s Future with Red Bull

The Bahrain Grand Prix has fueled speculation about Verstappen’s future with the team and the reported heated discussions between Red Bull management and Vermeulen. During the Sky Sports F1 Show, presenter Simon Lazenby addressed Kravitz:”We heard about a disagreement between Raymond Vermeulen – who’s Max Verstappen’s manager – and Dr. Helmut Marko after the race.

Kravitz responded:”I don’t know the specifics, but I did witness something. I’ve seen many instances where Raymond, Jos [Verstappen], Christian Horner, and Helmut Marko have engaged in intense discussions. But this time, it felt different — Raymond seemed particularly agitated about something, and I believe it was related to the pit stop problems.

Just two weeks ago, we were praising Max Verstappen for his resurgence in the world championship hunt after an outstanding performance in Japan – securing pole position and then going on to win the Grand Prix,” Kravitz added. “So, let’s exercise caution before jumping to conclusions. However, it’s clear that Red Bull would have known from testing that they weren’t quite as quick as they had been.

Photos from Bahrain GP – Race