Red Bull handed stern 'at the back' warning with Max Verstappen exit threatening

Riccardo Patrese has declared Red Bull will be "at the back" of F1 if Max Verstappen does leave the Milton Keynes-based team.

The six-time grand prix winner believes the Laurent Mekies-led squad's level "is what [Yuki] Tsunoda shows", without the Dutchman there to outperform its troublesome car.

Red Bull struggled with the development of the RB20 last year, but Verstappen was able to carry it to the F1 drivers' championship, his fourth-consecutive title.

Those difficulties have continued through the current campaign, with the RB21 sharing many of the same idiosyncrasies.

It looks increasingly unlikely the 65-time grand prix winner will be able to replicate his heroics from last term, but Patrese was quick to highlight that Adrian Newey's legacy at the team is still evident in the present car.

That will, however, not be the case from 2026, when F1 is overhauling both its power unit and chassis regulations.

"Well, if Adrian Newey is not there anymore and Verstappen is leaving, then the level of Red Bull is what [Yuki] Tsunoda shows," Patrese told Prime Casino. "And where is Tsunoda? In the back.

"At the moment, they still live with something that Adrian left. And for next year, there is a completely new car coming that Adrian didn't make."

Verstappen is being increasingly linked to a Mercedes switch, but the recent departure of former team principal Christian Horner obscures the picture somewhat.

If the 27-year-old does decide to seek pastures new, Patrese is concerned Red Bull will slump to the foot of the field without the Dutchman there to "make the difference" at the six-time constructors' champions.

"And then if you don't have a driver like Max who can make the difference, then Red Bull will be at the back," the Italian former F1 driver added.