Former Formula 1 driver Robert Doornbos has made the staggering claim that Max Verstappen has "secretly said goodbye" to Red Bull Racing despite his contract running until 2028.
The Dutch ex-F1 driver believes the four-time world champion is "too relaxed" amid Red Bull's current struggles.
Red Bull has fallen behind McLaren in performance this season, with Verstappen now sitting second in the drivers' standings, eight points behind Lando Norris.
The Milton Keynes-based team has faced a turbulent 18 months both on and off the track.
Max Verstappen has been told he has already bid farewell to his Red Bull team
Reuters
Red Bull has lost several key personnel to rival teams, including technical mastermind Adrian Newey, who is heading to Aston Martin.
Jonathan Wheatley will also depart to join Sauber, which will transform into the Audi works team next year.
The team recently replaced Sergio Perez with Liam Lawson, who has come under pressure after just two races with the squad.
With new regulations on the horizon next year and internal turmoil at Red Bull, questions about Verstappen's future have intensified despite his repeated commitments to the team.
Speaking on Ziggo Sport's Race Café, Doornbos said: "I think Max Verstappen is a bit too relaxed under the whole situation.
"I think Max has already secretly said goodbye to the team."
This comes despite Verstappen's contract with Red Bull running until the end of the 2028 season.
Lawson has endured a difficult start to his Red Bull career, failing to score a point and struggling in qualifying across all formats.
Max Verstappen has had a tough time so far this season with Red Bull
ReutersWhen asked what Verstappen thinks about the situation with his new teammate, Doornbos responded: "He thinks, 'It's Lawson, then it's Yuki [Tsunoda]. I can live with anything. I just want a car that performs better'."
Red Bull currently appears to have the weakest package among the top four teams.
During the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen complained that the RB21 was "too slow" and insisted the team needed to find more pace.
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Max Verstappen has insisted he is calm over rumours on his Red Bull futureReutersDoornbos believes Verstappen maximised what was possible with the current car in China.
"It was exactly the same again [in China]," Doornbos remarked. "The maximum he could achieve was the podium in the sprint and fourth place in the race."
Verstappen finished runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the sprint before placing fourth behind both McLarens and Mercedes' George Russell in the main event.
