Helmut Marko has laid out how he believes Max Verstappen will eventually leave Red Bull, with performance being the underlying factor.
Although Verstappen has enjoyed unparalleled success in the last three seasons with 54 wins and three F1 world titles, cracks in his relationship with Red Bull have appeared - including hinting that if motorsport advisor Marko was moved on by the team, he would consider quitting before the end of his contract in 2028.
Verstappen has been the subject of interest from Mercedes, but has also threatened he could quit grand prix racing altogether.
But Marko insists that Verstappen's choice to quit Milton Keynes will ultimately come down to performance.
"The danger is there. Max is not a guy who wants to beat the records of [Michael] Schumacher or [Lewis] Hamilton," Marko told Sport.De.
"When he's in the car, he wants to win, but the environment has to be right. If the whole thing no longer suits him, you can expect him to say from one day to the next: that's it!.
?Most top drivers have exit clauses that are performance-related. Max has one too.
"This means that if we can't provide him with a car in which he can drive at the front, [leaving] is certainly something he will consider."
Also interesting:
In a very special episode of the RacingNews365 podcast, lead editor Ian Parkes and Nick Golding are joined by three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart. The current F1 season, the sport's safety and Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari are leading talking points.
If you'd rather watch than listen - the video is available here!
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