Red Bull have experienced significant upheaval over the past 12 months, with a series of high-profile departures reshaping the structure of the team.
Red Bull have experienced significant upheaval over the past 12 months, with a series of high-profile departures reshaping the structure of the team. Those changes included the exits of long-time team principal Christian Horner, legendary designer Adrian Newey and senior advisor Helmut Marko, prompting widespread discussion about who now holds influence inside the organisation.
During that period, Verstappen was also linked with a possible move away from Red Bull as questions were raised about the team’s competitiveness. Despite those concerns, the four-time world champion produced a strong late-season run, narrowly missing out on the title after a sustained fight at the front. Earlier this year, Verstappen publicly reaffirmed his commitment to Red Bull for the 2026 season.
Speculation about internal power dynamics intensified after 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg suggested that the Verstappen camp wielded significant influence over key decisions. Mintzlaff responded firmly when asked about those remarks by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
“That’s nonsense,” Mintzlaff said. “I can tell you that all agreements are clear, and he’s never made a single request of me. The same goes for his manager and his father. Max is clear about what he wants, and that’s fine, because he’s the best driver in the world.”
Mintzlaff stressed that Red Bull have a clear leadership structure and that no individual driver dictates how the team operate. He added that the ultimate authority within the wider Red Bull organisation remained commercial common sense, joking that the only real boss was the familiar question: can we sell?
As talk continued about Verstappen’s long-term future in Formula 1 beyond 2026, Mintzlaff made it clear that Red Bull were keen to keep their star driver involved with the brand for as long as possible, even after his racing career eventually comes to an end.
“Max is a great guy, not a diva,” Mintzlaff said. “I’m sure he’ll stay with us forever. If he ever retires as a driver, hopefully not too soon, I hope he stays with us in another role.”
Mintzlaff highlighted Verstappen’s technical insight as a rare quality that extended far beyond raw speed on track.
“His knowledge and feel for a car are so special,” he said. “He can consult with his engineers at a very high level. That makes him unique.”
For Red Bull, the message was clear. Despite change, speculation and outside noise, they viewed Verstappen as a central figure because of his talent and understanding, not because he controlled the team.
