Marko makes vow to Verstappen over potential Red Bull exit - report

Max Verstappen's future in Formula 1 has been a hot topic of late - despite having a contract in place until the end of 2028, the Dutchman has continuously been linked with a move away.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has publicly voiced his desire to bring Verstappen to his team as he seeks out a replacement for Lewis Hamilton.

Rumblings of a potential Verstappen departure have sprouted from a power struggle emerging at Red Bull between the Thai and Austrian owners earlier this year.

It was revealed earlier this season that Verstappen has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave the team should Helmut Marko also depart.

Verstappen pledged his loyalty to Marko, who aided his route to an F1 debut in 2015, when rumours sparked that the Austrian could be suspended from the team earlier this season.

BBC Sport now reports that Marko would help Verstappen if the driver wants to leave Red Bull.

Marko is said to have indicated that he will do exactly what Verstappen wants and quit if the 26-year-old Dutchman wants to leave for another team.

According to the report, there is no desire to leave for next year yet, but there are doubts among Verstappen and his management team regarding the new 2026 Red Bull Powertrains engine.

Brand new regulations will be introduced in two years' time with both the engine and aerodynamic rules being overhauled.

With Adrian Newey opting to leave the team at the beginning of 2025, part of Red Bull's senior structure has remained intact with technical director Pierre Wache signing an extended contract.

However, whether this commitment is enough to convince Verstappen to stay remains to be seen.