Verstappen threatens to leave Red Bull.

Reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen says he will stop racing for Red Bull if his personal advisor, Helmut Marko, is fired.

On the evening of March 8th, Verstappen secured pole position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, achieving the fastest qualifying time in Jeddah at 1 minute 27.472 seconds. This achievement was not surprising, given his post-race statement after hearing that Marko was at risk of punishment for leaking documents detailing inappropriate behavior by team leader Christian Horner with a female team member.

Verstappen (left) and advisor Helmut Marko after the F1 race in Canada on June 19, 2022. Photo: Red Bull

"I can't continue racing with Red Bull without Marko," Verstappen said on March 8. "He's very important in my decisions, and I'm very loyal to him."

Marko, 81, is a former driver and senior advisor to Red Bull since 1990. He is credited with developing the talents of world champions like Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen from their youth team days. He considered Verstappen a future F1 star when he was just 16 years old. Media reports also suggest that Verstappen's contract with Red Bull includes a clause allowing him to leave freely if Marko has to leave the team.

Verstappen, 27 years old, is a three-time consecutive world champion with Red Bull in 2021, 2022, and 2023. He holds several records, including most wins in a single season, most consecutive wins, and the highest race win percentage. His contract with Red Bull runs until 2028.

Mercedes are closely monitoring developments between Verstappen and Red Bull, looking for an opportunity to bring him in as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion will leave Mercedes at the end of 2024 to join Ferrari.

Xuan Binh

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