Red Bull tipped for ‘heavy conversations’ amid F1 2025 struggles

Red Bull will be having some “heavy conversations” about their difficult start to the 2025 F1 season, reckons Martin Brundle.

Max Verstappen slipped to third in the drivers’ championship, eight points behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, after he could only finish sixth in a lacklustre Bahrain Grand Prix for Red Bull.

The four-time world champion cut a hugely frustrated figure in Bahrain as a combination of brake and balance issues, tyre woes and pit stop misery resulted in a weekend to forget for Verstappen and his team.

It came a week after Verstappen pulled off a sensational, unlikely win against the odds in Japan which left many considering him to be the favourite to win a fifth successive world title.

But a shambolic Bahrain Grand Prix has left Red Bull in turmoil amid reports of a ‘crisis meeting’ and bust-ups within the camp.

Sky Sports F1 co commentator Brundle believes serious talks will be taking place at Red Bull.

“Even Verstappen's talents couldn't save Red Bull from a torrid weekend,” Brundle wrote in his post-race column.

"The car looked a handful to drive and he was often seen struggling to slow down and turn in from the key braking zones in all track sessions.

“”After following Pierre Gasly's Alpine for endless laps, in the closing stages he was able to sneak past on the last circuit and claim a distant sixth place, not helped by some lumpy pit stops with equipment issues.

“Yuki Tsunoda would score his first couple of Red Bull points in ninth but considering the team won the Japanese GP just seven days before, it's all rather confusing - probably for them too.

“There'll be some heavy conversations going on.”

‘Great concern’ over Max Verstappen future

After Sunday’s race, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko admitted he has “great concern” about Verstappen’s future with the team.

Marko told Sky Germany: "The concern is great. Improvements have to come in the near future so that he has a car with which he can win again.

"We have to create a basis with a car so that he can fight for the world championship.”

Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028 but his deal is said to contain a performance clause that would allow him to leave the team.

The Dutchman’s future has been the subject of speculation for months and he has been repeatedly linked with Mercedes and Aston Martin.