Former driver turned Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle has hinted at a possible snag regarding Max Verstappen's future at Red Bull.
The Dutch ace has been at the team since 2017, but the announcement of Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari next year has thrown the driver market into disarray for 2025 and beyond.
Verstappen has a contract that runs until 2028, though it is believed to have certain exit clauses.
The possibility that the three-time world champion could leave before then have been exacerbated by controversy surrounding boss Christian Horner and the recently announced exit of design guru Adrian Newey.
Brundle ponders potential Verstappen 'bother'
Despite all of the issues surrounding Red Bull personnel, Martin Brundle has pointed to another potential factor to consider.
Brundle told Sky Sports F1: “I think it might be the power unit that bothers Max in terms of the unknown."
2026 will see regulation changes in the sport, with new hybrid engines planned as F1 pursues greater sustainability.
“But again, I’ve been around the Red Bull Powertrains," Brundle continued. "My goodness, what an impressive set-up that is.
“So, I think it’s going to be quite interesting, if there are cards to be played, in terms of exiting anywhere, how quickly have they got to be played?