Max Verstappen’s dad shares ‘worry for years’ as he questions Red Bull | F1 | Sport

Jos Verstappen revealed that he and Max Verstappen would be ‘worried’ about Red Bull’s success in the new regulation period if the team could not recover their form ahead of the 2025 F1 season.

Verstappen Jnr clinched his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship title in 2024 following a season littered with exceptional defensive drives. Still, his latest crown stands as a tribute to his ability, rather than the success of the Red Bull team.

The Milton Keynes squad won just two of the final 14 Grands Prix of the year after a rip-roaring start, dropping from the top of the Constructors’ Championship standings to third. By the time the year ended in Abu Dhabi, Red Bull were vying with Mercedes for the title of the third-fastest team.

“You don’t know how the others are doing, so everything is new,” Jos told RaceXpress. “Next week they are going to test and then you can see a bit of what is happening, but not quite yet. So it is a matter of waiting and hoping that Red Bull has made a good car, because that is incredibly important for Max.

“Can they still do it? With these new people, to then put down a good car…. You also take that into next year, when everything is new. If they can’t get out of it now, you do worry for the years after that. So we’re optimistic, but we do want to see it move forward.”

Verstappen has been linked with two moves away from Red Bull over the past 12 months, and both Mercedes and Aston Martin will still be interested in the four-time world champion’s services should he become available for 2026.

For Aston Martin, bringing Verstappen on board would be a no-brainer, although who he would replace is up for debate. In performance terms, the answer is clear: Drop Lance Stroll and bring the reigning champion in to partner Fernando Alonso.

However, in practice, Stroll’s exit is unlikely. The Canadian racer is the centrepiece of father Lawrence Stroll’s big-money project and has avoided losing his seat thus far, despite a number of underwhelming seasons.

At Mercedes, the situation is also unclear. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are both products of the Silver Arrows’ driver academy, but both are out of contract at the end of 2025. Toto Wolff will want to keep his options open should Verstappen become available but will also be wary of losing his two young stars to a rival.