Max Verstappen reacts to Helmut Marko's Red Bull exit fear

Max Verstappen has responded to Helmut Marko's fear about a shock Red Bull exit after the disastrous Bahrain Grand Prix.

Verstappen finished sixth in Sakhir having struggled for grip and balance throughout the weekend, with Red Bull also encountering issues through the pit-stops after a wiring loom failure impacted the traffic light release system. 

Verstappen's long-term future at the team has been called into question given the alarming drop in performance from Red Bull, with motorsport advisor Marko indicating "great concern" that the Dutchman could leave before the end of his contract in 2028. 

However, the four-time world champion, and defending Saudi Arabian Grand Prix winner has indicated his full focus is on improving Red Bull's package and not switching teams. 

"I don't know, to be honest," Verstappen explained to media, including RacingNews365, when presented with Marko's comments.

"I just keep working, trying to improve the car and naturally, Bahrain wasn't a great weekend for us, and we were all pretty disappointed with that, but we will just keep trying to improve the car and come up with new ideas to try. 

"That is how I go about my weeks, trying to improve the situation. I'll focus on driving, and I don't need to think about any other scenarios.

"A lot of people are talking about my future, except me, so like I said before, I just want to focus on my car and work with the people in the team. 

"That is the only thing I'm thinking about in F1 at the moment, and I'm very relaxed. 

"I am happy, of course I am not happy with our car, but it is the same for everyone, we all want to be better, there is no secret about that, so that is where we are trying to improve."