Max Verstappen issued F1 ultimatum – ‘go or stop talking about it’

Formula 1 commentator Martin Brundle has issued Max Verstappen an ultimatum regarding his future in the sport, telling him to “go, or stop talking about it.”

The Dutchman has been unrestrained in his criticism of the new regulations cycle, likening it to “Formula E on steroids” and being similar to playing Mario Kart videogames.

F1’s increased electrification has been a source of discontentment with many drivers, who find the continuing energy harvesting – and how it manifests in racing – unsatisfying and counterintuitive.

Whilst many drivers have spoken out on the issue, including reigning World Champion Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, Verstappen’s comments have naturally been the ones that have garnered the most media traction.

This is also down to the accompanying noises from the Red Bull driver that he is considering retiring from F1 at the end of the season, amid his growing ambitions within other forms of motor racing.

But Brundle has dismissed the legitimacy of Verstappen’s words, citing the current struggles with Red Bull and its RB22 car as a primary source for them.

“The drivers’ love and comments are directly proportional to how their cars are going at the moment,” the Sky Sports F1 commentator claimed.

“I don’t say that in a negative or flippant way, because they’re all hardwired to win, but it’s quite clear that if your car is rubbish and you’re not anywhere near the front, you’re more vociferous than those that are at the front.”

Brundle acknowledged that Verstappen has been consistently outspoken about a number of issues and his previous comments about wishing to retire at an age younger to his rivals.

“Max is very unfiltered. He always has been,” he said. “He’s talked a lot, for a long time, about, ‘I’m not in this for the long haul. I’m not going to be hanging around here in my 40s’.

“And Max would say it’s getting a bit boring now. I think it’s getting a bit boring with what he’s saying.

“Either go, or stop talking about it.

“Because it is what it is, you’ve got to make the most of it.

“I would hugely miss his talent. His generational speed and car control is something that very few people in the history of motorsport have had. It’s quite extraordinary.

“And I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that, given they [Red Bull] were building their own powertrain for the first time, that his management would have put in an exit clause at the end of this year to see how it goes.

“Mercedes are saying, ‘No, there’s no place at this particular inn at the moment’. So, quite what he would do. I don’t know.

“Nobody’s indispensable in this business. I’ve seen a number of amazing people come through this sport and are no longer with us, or moved on and have done something else, and the sport carries on. The great Murray Walker would be one of them.

“And this goes for any of us. The minute we stop, people will be talking about whoever’s doing the job next. There are any number of Antonellis, Bearmans, Lindblads out there who would do the job incredibly well for one per cent of the money.

“So the sport will just move on if Max decides to go.”

Max Verstappen ‘doing a lot of damage’ with comments on new F1 era

Brundle continued that Verstappen is, in his belief, causing F1 problems with his current stance, citing that Michael Schumacher would have channelled his thoughts on a situation differently.

“But he’s sort of doing quite a lot of damage meanwhile.

“But I think we all appreciate that’s how Max rock and rolls.

“I’d be surprised if he’d really walk away from it.

“It’s great to be at the Nurburgring. I’ve done that in the paddock. It’s 150 cars on the track or so. He’ll find the 24 hour race quite challenging, quite sketchy. But he’s got his own team. He loves that. He loves his sim racing.

“Do I think he’d just walk away from F1? No, I don’t. Providing he can get a car that pleases him.

“His points are brutally made, but actually well made, that this is just wrong at the moment.

“But, what a Schumacher would have done is close the door, thumped the desk, metaphorically got hold of the right people by the throat, walk out, and with a smile, go, ‘Everything’s fine’.

“And then if they don’t sort it out, which we’re looking forward to for Miami, then you start going on to the media.

“But that’s not how he does things. So that’s emptying my mind on the subject.”

Verstappen’s willingness to discuss early retirement when successful is perhaps an indication that these are more than mere empty threats.

Many will be watching Verstappen to see that if he is indeed this vocal if Red Bull improves its challenger, but there is a genuine possibility that this will hasten his exit from the sport.

READ MORE – Can Max Verstappen force F1’s hand to change its direction by threatening to retire?