Edd Straw

I think it would only change if he sees Red Bull as fundamentally shifted.

So he's contracted to the end of 28, might well see out that contract.

But that does mean that there could come a point, whether it's for 27, whether it's for 29, there will be a point, as you pointed out, where they need another driver who isn't Max Verstappen because there's always change eventually.

So if you...

running red bull and you were thinking about what your strategy would be driver wise what what would you do what what do you who's your first call if max comes to you and say actually i'm gonna retire from formula one for for 27 what what do you do well the first call is to which is what every team boss should be doing anyway is you speak to every good driver and their manager and find out what their mindset is what are their contractual terms and what is the possibility to get out of that contract and how you can do it which i would be doing because that's a

It makes it a very complicated situation, doesn't it?

Because it's not necessarily, well, in fact, I'm pretty sure it isn't as simple as how well is Red Bull doing?

I think that is a part of the equation.

But I do believe, Max, when he says, well, actually, it's about how much I like the regulations.

We saw a little step with the rules in Miami.

There's another change coming for 27 with the move a step away from the notional 50-50 electric to conventional regulations.

v6 power split so i guess the questions really are less about red bull and more about does max verstappen just in terms of his life still want to be dedicating it to formula one and two is the formula one as it is and as it will be in 27 and beyond what he needs it to be

But the great thing is it can be both, because what's a better negotiating position than when you're actually voicing your own position and it can actually gain you some advantage as well?

That's kind of where I feel it probably is, and I don't think he's making it up, but I certainly...

I think there will be an element where he feels there's an advantage to begin because we're coming back to that whole Red Bull thing of what can you possibly do to try and create the kind of leverage, the pressure to get an outcome you want.

And while, as John talked about earlier, there's always an after this next star driver or whatever.

Everyone retires, Prost, Senna, Schumacher, Fangio.

Formula One goes on.

But that threat of not just losing your star driver, but imagine if Formula One's dealing with a scenario where Verstappen walks away and basically says, oh, it's a bit rubbish.

That is very different.