Is Red Bull 2.0 good enough to keep Verstappen?
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What is the current status of Max Verstappen's future with Red Bull Racing?
The Athletic.
The race is on, and with Max Verstappen's future still up in the air, we ask if Red Bull Racing 2.0 really can convince him it's the place to be, and what it might do, should it be necessary to replace him in 2027 or the years that follow. And with so much change at the top of the team, does it still have what it takes to be F1's standard setter? I'm Ed Stewart, and joining me for a deep dive into F1's struggling giants are John Noble and Matt Magendie. Well, Matt, we'll come to you first, our special guest. Great to have somebody who has written a book on Red Bull Racing. And I do mean that literally as part of a very, very elegant way in to allow you to plug your book inside Red Bull Racing.
Yeah, so I did a season with Red Bull last season, spent the season, it started as a podcast, which we had a little crossover with you guys on. And yes, Inside Red Bull Racing tells the story of what ended up being a dramatic season from a driver axe to a team boss removed to very nearly winning the championship at the end of it. So yeah, it was a good time to be with them.
It's well worth a read. I did read it in its entirety yesterday. I didn't fall asleep once, as I told Matt when he arrived. So I definitely recommend that. We're going to do a book club podcast for the Race Members Club about that that will be coming out soon, where we talk all about the book and how it came together.
How has Red Bull Racing changed with new leadership?
But yeah, well worth a read. And also check out the podcast. That's all still there on YouTube. And John, did you know we are both in the book? We're both in the acknowledgements.
Oh, that's quite good. I also hear you said the book has got 21% of interesting stuff in it, which I think would be a great review to put on the back. Ed Straw's 21%. This is good.
Yeah, it's a good metric because I was reading it on a plane. I flew to Milan for a Pirelli trip. And so the flights are just about right for me to kind of pile through the book on the flight out and the flight back. So because I wasn't able to make copious notes by hand, I was photographing all the pages that had something interesting on them. which doesn't sound very, very good.
I'll take 21%.
What insights does the guest author provide about Red Bull's recent challenges?
That's positive enough, isn't it?
It must have been a good season to have been on the inside.
Well, yes, it's fascinating because you just don't know when he starts like that. You assume, I mean, no one really knows how the championship's going to be and play out. And You know, I had no idea, you know, you weren't certainly going to expect a driver to get removed after two races and then the only boss they've ever known to then go. And then suddenly this remarkable turnaround. It just sort of had everything. It was kind of gift that kept on giving. And then obviously, you know, changes at the end of the season of different people going. It was a remarkable tale. It sort of almost, for the purposes of following the season, kind of didn't matter that he didn't win the title at the end. It was so incredible that he actually got within touching distance of doing it.
Yeah, a truly remarkable team. I mean, you know, it's amazing to spend time with them and actually see that, I don't know how impressed you are, but their in-season development to go from this car that would be okay one week and absolutely diabolical the next to suddenly being the quickest on the grid is something truly impressive.
What factors could influence Verstappen's decision to stay or leave?
And actually, the book is perfect preparation for this podcast because a lot of the things that happened last year have laid the foundations for where the team is this year. Obviously, you talk about the powertrains project that's dedicated a little bit of space in the book, and that's part of what we're seeing this year and all the changes, etc. So what do you make of what you've seen from Red Bull Racing this season? And was there a sense that 2026 was going to start with a little bit of trouble for the team?
Yeah.
Yeah, it's interesting. So there's different parts of that. Since you mentioned powertrains, if we start with that, I've been very impressed on that side of things.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the current status of Max Verstappen's future with Red Bull Racing?
0:02–1:23
2
How has Red Bull Racing changed with new leadership?
1:23–2:04
3
What insights does the guest author provide about Red Bull's recent challenges?
2:04–3:02
4
What factors could influence Verstappen's decision to stay or leave?
3:02–3:59
5
How is Red Bull Racing performing in the current season?
3:59–4:47
6
What role does Max Verstappen play in Red Bull's success?
4:47–5:26
7
What potential driver replacements are being considered for Red Bull?
5:26–7:07
8
How do team dynamics impact performance in Formula 1?
7:07–59:22
Speakers
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