Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is being held responsible for Max Verstappen's growing concerns about the team's future performance, with a former F1 driver warning that Red Bull are facing a 'critical' issue.
After a dominant 2023 season, Red Bull have struggled to maintain their edge, with Verstappen's fears intensifying as the team grapples with internal struggles and technical challenges.
One of Verstappen's major concerns is linked to the upcoming 2026 regulation changes, which will see teams develop new aerodynamic strategies among many other technical tweaks.
In the wake of Red Bull's decline, former F1 driver Christian Danner has revealed he believes that Verstappen fears the team could stagnate in 2025, especially if they are unable to resolve their current performance issues.
"His biggest fear is that next year, he’ll be stuck with the same underperforming car," Danner explained to Motorsport-Magazin.
This season has been particularly troubling for Red Bull, whose RB20 car is struggling with tyre degradation and drivability issues.
These problems, long faced by Sergio Perez, have now also affected Verstappen, leaving the team’s star driver frustrated.
"They’ve lost control of that balance," Danner said, adding that Verstappen’s lack of confidence in the car has become evident.
"The car doesn’t respond, and he’s not feeling it."
