Verstappen Red Bull exit decision could rest on this KEY factor

Former Red Bull junior team principal Franz Tost has suggested a key factor in Max Verstappen's decision-making process around a potential move away from Red Bull could soon be approaching.

Verstappen has raced for both Red Bull's junior team, and the main Red Bull team, winning 64 races and four world championship titles with the latter outfit.

However, the Dutchman is reportedly growing increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of his RB21, having only picked up one race victory so far in 2025, and Red Bull already sitting 99 points behind McLaren in the constructors' championship.

Former AlphaTauri boss Tost has spoken out about the rumours linking the reigning champion with a move away - with Mercedes and Aston Martin both rumoured to be eyeing up a move - and noted a key moment coming soon.

Will Verstappen leave Red Bull?

Speaking to Sport1, Tost said: "We'll have to wait and see how the update works in Imola. The season is still long. But it's true: The departures are already extreme. Adrian Newey, Rob Marshall - incidentally also one of the best engineers in the premier class, who has now made McLaren strong - or Jonathan Wheatley and many others leave a big gap.

"This means that the new generation that has now taken over will have to compensate for these departures this season. They now have to prove just how good these youngsters are."

The departures from the team made headlines throughout last year, with Newey the biggest name to quit the team, leading to a bidding war for his services which was eventually won by Aston Martin.

Newey's influence has yet to really hit his new team, with his focus entirely on Aston's 2026 machine as their 2025 season flounders.

READ MORE: F1 boss says Verstappen 'wrong' for Mercedes with many downsides

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