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Is Verstappen feeling the pinch in his wallet as well? 'Loses one million'
Ralf Schumacher has claimed Max Verstappen loses one million every time he does not win a race in Formula 1. The former F1 driver and brother of Michael Schumacher believes the Dutchman is feeling the pinch in his wallet as well now that Red Bull are not getting the success they achieved during the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Verstappen is still leading the championship and is fighting for his fourth consecutive World Championship. But the 26-year-old hasn't won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix in June and now faces tough competition from McLaren, Ferrari and sometimes Mercedes every weekend. Schumacher has spoken to insiders and claims he is losing a lot of money.
"It is assumed that he loses a million for every race he doesn't win. That is unbelievable. Last year, he was so successful and that is a lot of money that he is missing out on, in addition to the fact that things are no longer going well in sporting terms," Schumacher told the German branch of Sky Sports.
But is Verstappen losing sleep over that? The Red Bull driver still has a 59-point lead with seven race weekends remaining, and Lando Norris hasn't been taking full advantage of McLaren's pace in recent races. Verstappen has managed to limit the damage as much as possible, and there is the prospect of becoming a four-time World Champion. He would join a converted list of names.
Verstappen's future
The reigning world champion is still under contract until 2028, but it is far from certain that he will serve out that contract. This year, Mercedes and Toto Wolff have been flirting with Verstappen. The Mercedes boss wishes to keep the communication channel open. "I believe he has no patience and will not stay forever," said the analyst.
This article has been created in collaboration with Corwin Kunst
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