Ralf Schumacher believes Max Verstappen’s winless run is hurting him in the pocket.
Ralf Schumacher has claimed that Max Verstappen is losing millions of pounds for every race he fails to win. The Dutchman has not stood on the top step of the podium since June with McLaren having surpassed Red Bull as the quickest team on the grid.
It has shaken up the battle for Drivers’ Championship glory with Verstappen only 59 points ahead of Lando Norris at the top of the standings. Last weekend, he could only manage fifth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with no end in sight to his current slump.
Schumacher, the brother of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, believes Verstappen’s winless run is hurting him in the pocket as well as on the track.
Speaking to Sky Germany, Schumacher said: “It is assumed that he loses a million for every race he doesn’t win. That is unbelievable.
“Last year he was so successful and that is a lot of money that he is missing out on, in addition to the fact that things are no longer going well in sporting terms.”
Verstappen is the highest-paid driver on the F1 grid, with Red Bull paying him around £40million per season. He is tied down to the reigning champions until 2028 but it has been speculated that he could seek an early exit due to tensions behind the scenes.
Mercedes are keen admirers but their driver line-up for next year is already locked in with Kimi Antonelli partnering George Russell. Meanwhile, Adrian Newey’s move to Aston Martin has fuelled rumours that Verstappen could follow him to Silverstone
Quizzed on the Dutchman’s future, Schumacher added: “I am of the opinion that not everything is set in stone as far as what will happen to Max Verstappen in the future is concerned, because I believe he has no patience and will not stay forever.”
It has been reported that a clause in Verstappen’s contract would allow him to join a new team before his current deal runs out. According to Sky Italy, he will be entitled to leave if he is not in the top three in the standings ‘after the first Grands Prix in 2025’.
Red Bull will, therefore, be desperate to improve their pace to keep Verstappen happy for as long as possible. It remains to be seen if they will make amends for their poor display in Baku when they return to action at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
