Max Verstappen's new long-term F1 contract has release clause, Red Bull chief confirms

Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko has confirmed that the new long-term contract which Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen recently agreed with the team contains an ‘escape clause.’

The 24-year-old has been a Red Bull driver since 2016, having first entered F1 as a 17-year-old with sister squad Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2015, and committed his future to the team by singing a new deal until the end of 2028 at the beginning on March.

Mercedes have dominated F1 since the beginning of the turbo-hybrid era in 2014, but Red Bull heave steadily improved in recent years, ultimately winning their first championship since 2013 when Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to the title at the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.

Verstappen is an immensely fast and naturally gifted driver, and it came as no surprise that the Milton Keynes-based outfit sought to secure his long-term future in the immediate aftermath of the 2021, but Marko has revealed that their agreement is not entirely watertight.

‘If we experience a “crash” like in 2014, when we had absolutely no chance against Mercedes on the engine side, then it’s clear there is an escape clause,’ Marko explained to Formel1.de.

A drop in performance in the immediate term seems very unlikely for Red Bull, who have begun the revamped 2022 season with a car capable of challenging for victories alongside rivals Ferrari.

Mercedes, meanwhile, have struggled with the biggest regulation change in a generation, are are unable to battle with the frontrunners for wins with a car which is mired by intense bouncing on the straights and instability through the corners.

With Hamilton now 37, Mercedes would no doubt hold an interest in signing Verstappen in a season or two’s time, if the