Max Verstappen manager refuses to deny possible Red Bull exit

Raymond Vermeulen, Max Verstappen's manager has refused to deny that the four-time world champion could leave Red Bull at the end of the season. 

Verstappen has been at the centre of intensifying rumours linking him to Mercedes, with Toto Wolff and George Russell having confirmed that conversations have taken place. 

Russell revealed during the Austrian Grand Prix that Mercedes' talks with Verstappen were delaying his own contract discussions, whilst the Dutchman has remained quiet on the subject.

On media day ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix, Verstappen refused to confirm whether talks had taken place with the Silver Arrows; however, Vermeulen has revealed that talks have taken place.

The Red Bull driver's manager insisted it is normal for talks to take place in the F1 paddock, with Verstappen simply being the current media target in his eyes.

"In Formula 1, everyone talks to each other," Vermeulen told Formule1.nl. "It makes sense that we also talk to Toto, just as it makes sense that we also talk to A, B, C and D. 

"That we occasionally have a cup of coffee, I don't find that so shocking, but now a whole media circus is being made of it. On the other hand, that's Formula 1. 

"One time the hype is about Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, then about Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari and now it's Max's turn again and his possible performance clauses. 

"It's a kind of pressure cooker, a build-up of messages and speculations that reach a climax in an F1 weekend that is not reality."

Verstappen contract clauses

The trigger of Verstappen's links to Mercedes has been Red Bull's difficult RB21 but also the 27-year-old having several contract clauses. 

RacingNews365 understands the reigning world champion can leave Red Bull if he is outside the top three in the drivers' standings this summer, with Vermeulen confirming there are various clauses which could be triggered. 

"I don't know exactly where that comes from, but it is largely about the performance clauses that may or may not be triggered around the summer period," added Verstappen's manager.

"The question is still what will or will not happen then. Perhaps nothing will happen. That in itself would not be strange.

"It has happened before that performance clauses were triggered and that it then blew over. But we cannot give one hundred percent clarity about next year now, no. Nobody can."