Can Red Bull truly survive without Max Verstappen
Over the past two seasons, the answer has slowly started to take shape and it’s not one the team will find comforting.
Max Verstappen has been the key reason for Red Bull’s F1 dominance and without him the cracks in their armor are impossible to ignore.
In the 2024 season, Max secured his 4th consecutive Drivers’ Championship, scoring an extraordinary 437 points with 9 race wins and 14 podium finishes. His control over the championship was absolute.
Meanwhile, his then-teammate Sergio Pérez fell dramatically short contributing only 152 points, a gap of 285 points that highlighted just how much of Red Bull’s success was built on Max alone. That lopsided dynamic eventually cost Red Bull in the Constructors’ standings, where McLaren and Ferrari closed in with more balanced driver lineups.
Entering 2025, Max Verstappen remains Red Bull’s lifeline. With 155 points already to his name, he continues to do the heavy lifting.
However, the second seat has become a revolving door. Liam Lawson, promoted in hopes of long-term potential, scored zero points in his outings before being replaced. His successor, Yuki Tsunoda, while promising and passionate, has yet to deliver a podium or offer the consistent point haul Red Bull desperately needs alongside Max.
Red Bull still remains the team reliant on one man to carry their title hopes in the face of intense competition from McLaren and Ferrari.
More worryingly, the question of whether Verstappen will even stay at Red Bull beyond 2025 continues to swirl. Max Verstappen himself has hinted at needing “the right environment” to stay and Red Bull’s current trajectory isn’t offering complete reassurance.
So, can Red Bull survive without Max Verstappen?
They can function but survival isn’t dominance. The numbers from 2024 and 2025 prove it:- Max Verstappen isn’t just Red Bull’s lead driver, he is Red Bull’s title bid. If he does choose to walk away, Red Bull will be forced to either reinvent themselves around a brand-new driver lineup or risk a dramatic fall from the top.
