Max Verstappen says he has no “hard feelings” towards long-standing Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley who will leave the team at the end of the season to join Audi-Sauber.
Wheatley and legendary designer Adrian Newey will both be moving on, and many fear that their departures risk disrupting Red Bull’s operations and ultimately its performance given their integral roles in the team’s success over the years.
When it comes to Wheatley's departure, Verstappen expressed no ill will and even wished his colleague success in his new role at Sauber.
“I have a great relationship with Jonathan and it always will be like that,” Verstappen told the media on Thursday at Zandvoort.
“Anyway, of course, he’s moving to a different team. But it’s a different opportunity for him and also a different role. And yeah, sometimes, of course, it’s also a bit of a new challenge, right?
“So there are no hard feelings or whatever. I’m happy for him. He gets that opportunity. Of course, he will be missed within the team.
“But, of course, as a team, you also have to look at the future and move on from that.
“We still have to see how we’re going to fill in all the roles that Jonathan currently has. But I’m also happy for him. It goes both ways. And the team is, of course, also very thankful for what he has delivered.”
Overall, Verstappen downplayed the consequences of Red Bull’s high-profile exits and emphasized the importance of staying focused on the task at hand.
“We just focus on the performance on track,” commented the three-time world champion.
“Of course, some people have been leaving, some people have been joining, some get announced, some don’t.
“That’s I think life in Formula 1, especially when you have been very successful.”
Verstappen further elaborated on the inevitability of other teams attempting to poach talent from a dominant force like Red Bull.
“It’s normal that other teams try to steal people away. It’s not new to Formula 1 anyway. I’m not too worried about it.
“We just need to stay focused and make sure that we have the right people at the right place.”
While Verstappen's calm demeanor suggests confidence in Red Bull's resilience, the team faces a critical period ahead.
After dominating the 2022 and 2023 seasons with relative ease, Red Bull's rivals have started to close the gap, and the team has not won in the last four Grands Prix.
The departures of Newey and Wheatley will undoubtedly test the squad's ability to maintain its edge as Formula 1 heads into a new era.
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