Another crisis meeting for Red Bull? 'Max will decide on his F1 future after Imola'

Red Bull Racing's F1's prospects are not looking good. Not only is the team undergoing its toughest season of late, but Max Verstappen's rumours of departure are becoming increasingly stronger. Ralf Schumacher weighs in on the situation surrounding the Austrian team.

'Red Bull are going backwards in F1 since Newey left'

"Of course, you have to work on it now," says Schumacher on the Sky DE podcast, Backstage Boxengasse. "One thing is clear. Somehow, since [Adrian] Newey left, [the team's performance] is going backwards. You just have to say that."

Whilst after Newey went on gardening leave the team could often still fight at the top, now it is not the case anymore, with Verstappen's positive results this year often stemming from a particular set of circumstances that the Dutchman capitalised on.

After both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to live up to the MCL39's potential on Saturday, with Verstappen edging them both out on the fight for pole, the conditions during the F1 Japanese Grand Prix negated McLaren's tyre degradation superiority with Verstappen taking a lights to flag win with a flawless drive.

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'If Red Bull can't fix their F1 car with Imola upgrade, consequences will follow'

"There was still a certain amount [of performance in 2024] and he (Max Verstappen, ed.) got the best out of it. But now it's going really downhill. And it is very important. So, you have recognized where the problem is. And the solution is supposed to come to Imola," adds Schumacher regarding Red Bull Racing's upgrade package which is supposed to address the profound issues that ail Verstappen's and Yuki Tsunoda's F1 car.

"In my opinion, if this solution does not come to Imola, then personal consequences will follow. I'm pretty sure about that, because then it's clear that Pierre Waché's teams obviously won't find a solution. If that's the case, of course we'll have to wait and see," says the former F1 driver.

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Another F1 crisis meeting for Red Bull, whilst Verstappen's decision on F1 future may have been made already

Ahead of the Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix, Red Bull are set to hold yet another crisis meeting, adding to the previous three urgent meetings held by the Austrian team in recent weeks, with one of them being held as recently as after the race in Bahrain.

"And what I've also heard is that there will be another crisis meeting this week. It will be held in Dubai, or even online, with the main protagonists to assess the situation. Because Max Verstappen clearly can't do that on the weekend [due to the race weekend in Jeddah]. He said that this is a situation he is not satisfied with."

Schumacher then states that Verstappen's decision on his F1 future, namely to either leave or remain in Red Bull, is not a long way away, if it hasn't been made already. "From my point of view, he will make the decision, at least after Imola. And for me, it's already been made. Because, of course, what else is he supposed to do? It's not just the car that's the problem. There's also the engine is a question mark. I think Max will change [teams]."

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