Max Verstappen was left furious at being handed a penalty during the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, but his actions following the race have landed the Red Bull star in more hot water

Helmut Marko’s presence remains one pillar keeping Verstappen grounded at Red Bull, but contractual escape routes are already in place. One clause reportedly allows Verstappen to exit if he’s outside the top three in the standings by mid-season — a possibility that’s swung wildly across the first five rounds.

In the midst of a season of negative interviews, Renger van der Zande has questioned when Max Verstappen is deliberately doing it to rile up himself and Red Bull. Although Verstappen is a Grand Prix winner in F1 2025,