Pink Bull staff boss Christian Horner has sensationally advised Max Verstappen he can go away in a bombshell interview.
The 50-year-old's feedback got here after the Dutch driver received the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to make it back-to-back wins this season.
Verstappen just lately threatened to give up the staff amid the Horner scandal.
He mentioned that if Pink Bull adviser Helmut Marko had been to depart, he would observe swimsuit throughout an investigation into an 80-year-old man who might have leaked confidential info to the media.
Verstappen's transfer to Mercedes has been mooted with the Silver Arrows seeking to change Lewis Hamilton within the 2025 marketing campaign.
And Horner, who was cleared of “inappropriate behaviour” in the direction of a colleague, has now mentioned he wouldn’t stand in the best way of the 26-year-old's departure.
Nevertheless, he warned Verstappen that he won’t discover a quicker automobile on the grid than Pink Bull, who’ve received the Constructors' Cup within the final two years.
Horner mentioned: “You may't drive somebody to be someplace simply due to a chunk of paper.
“If somebody didn't need to be on this staff, then you realize, we're not going to drive somebody in opposition to their will to be right here.
“That's true whether or not it's a machinist, a design engineer, or somebody in one of many assist features going via the store.
“Being concerned in a staff like this takes dedication and keenness. And Max has that, we've seen it.”
“He's been right here since he was 18. And I’ve no doubts about his dedication and keenness.
“However no particular person is bigger than the staff.
“We’ve got an outstanding automobile. We’ve got one spot open for subsequent 12 months. I in all probability have 16 drivers who’re determined to be in that automobile subsequent 12 months.”
“I'm positive each staff within the paddock would like to have Max, however like Toto [Wolff, Mercedes boss] he additionally mentioned that the very best drivers at all times need to be in the very best vehicles.”