Verstappen admits 'you can’t stop people' from leaving a team
Max Verstappen says Red Bull was always going to struggle to retain all of its key elements amid the active poaching efforts and lucrative offers of its F1 rivals.
Over the past month, the Milton Keynes-based outfit has lost several significant figures, including legendary designer Adrian Newey, who joined Aston Martin, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, now headed for Sauber/Audi, and head of strategy Will Courtenay, who is set to join McLaren.
These high-profile exits have come in the wake of a challenging year for Red Bull, both on and off the track. Internal tensions surfaced earlier in the season as a result of the allegations – since dismissed – of inappropriate behaviour levied upon team boss Christian Horner.
At the time, Verstappen emphasized the importance of retaining the "pillars" of the team's success, especially with his mentor Helmut Marko's position seemingly under scrutiny.
Nearly eight months later, defections have hit the team while the competitive edge it enjoyed over the field in the first phase of the 2024 season has vanished, leaving its rival McLaren in command of F1’s Constructors’ standings.
"Well, we didn't manage that too well!", Verstappen laughed in Singapore recently, before addressing his team’s exodus issue ona serious note.
"As I always said, I would have preferred if everyone had stayed, but in the end, you can't stop people.
“If you force them to stay when they don't really want to be here anymore, if they are disappointed or don't fully get what they want, then maybe it's better for them to take up a new challenge elsewhere. Even if for the whole team collectively, it would have been better if everything had stayed the way it was.”
Verstappen’s perspective reflects an understanding of how success in Formula 1 can lead to rivals aggressively poaching key talent.
The allure of new challenges and substantial offers from other teams often becomes irresistible for individuals who have already tasted success.
"It's always been like that with successful teams, people will start picking them apart,” he said.
“You see that in any sport. And some people get such big offers from other teams that that plays a role as well."
Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley who will be moving to Audi-Sauber in 2025.
Despite the losses, Verstappen remains confident in Red Bull’s ability to remain competitive. Key figures like Ben Waterhouse, head of performance engineering, and Enrico Balbo, head of aerodynamics, have extended their contracts, and the team’s technical leadership is still strong.
Verstappen highlighted his close relationship with Pierre Wache, Red Bull’s technical director, and expressed his trust in the team's direction.
"It's very good, Pierre and I talk a lot," he explained. "When I'm in the factory, I always have a meeting with him. He's very motivated and I enjoy being involved.
“Things are working quite well, it's just that the results aren't what we want right now. It's up to us to turn that around as a team.”
Verstappen also emphasized that the departures of a few key individuals don’t define the success of the team. Instead, it’s the collective effort that drives Red Bull’s performance.
Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache with max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
"I have faith that people know what they're doing, they've already shown that,” he said.
“Other teams have very good people too, but I don't think that's the issue right now. We just took a wrong turn, so it was time to hit the reset button and go in a different direction.
"At the end of the day it's not just two or three people who make the difference. It's about the collective. Everyone has to chip in and work well within their role, that's the most important thing."
As the championship season enters its final stretch, Verstappen’s calm and pragmatic approach to the changes within Red Bull shows a driver confident in the collective strength of his team.
While the departures have caused ripples, the Dutchman remains focused on working together with the team to reclaim its top form.
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