True reason revealed for Verstappen camp’s furry in Bahrain
A heated exchange between Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, following last Sunday’s... The post True reason revealed for Verstappen camp’s furry in Bahrain appeared first on F1i.com.
A heated exchange between Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, following last Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix sparked intrigue in the Formula 1 paddock.
Sky Sports F1 pundit Ted Kravitz, who witnessed the confrontation, initially hinted at Vermeulen’s frustration over Red Bull’s lackluster performance in Sakhir.
However, in a post-race episode earlier this week of the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Kravitz clarified that the argument likely centered on a more specific issue: Red Bull’s problematic pit stops during the race.
The revelation sheds new light on the tensions within the Red Bull camp as they navigate a challenging 2025 season.
A Disappointing Day in Bahrain
The Bahrain Grand Prix was a tough outing for Verstappen, who could only manage a sixth-place finish, a result that contrasted sharply with his dominant win just a week earlier in Japan.
The RB21’s lack of pace was a significant factor, leaving the reigning world champion unable to challenge the front-runners. Compounding the team’s woes were operational miscues, particularly slow pit stops, which further hampered Verstappen’s race.
Despite the setback, the Dutchman remains in contention for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship, trailing McLaren’s Lando Norris by just eight points heading into this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
©RedBull
Kravitz, in his post-race ‘Notebook’ show, first alluded to the tense moment he observed between Vermeulen and Marko.
“That was something that I saw. I have seen plenty of times where Raymond Vermeulen or Jos Verstappen and Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have been discussing situations but Raymond Vermeulen seemed particularly irked about something which I think was actually the pit stop problems,” Kravitz said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, pinpointing the root of Vermeulen’s frustration.
Pit Stop Woes Take Center Stage
Red Bull’s pit stop issues in Bahrain were a significant departure from their reputation for operational excellence. The team, once renowned for lightning-fast pit stops under the guidance of former sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, struggled with multiple errors.
“If you count the slow pit stop that Max had in Japan that put him into conflict with Lando Norris when Lando went on the grass and then you count out light number one not working for Max, light number two not working for Yuki and then front-right not working for Max in his second stop, that’s four pit stop problems that Red Bull have had in two races. That’s very unusual,” Kravitz explained.
According to the reporter, these mistakes were particularly galling for Verstappen and his entourage, who expect operational precision when the car’s performance is subpar.
“I think what the Verstappens were annoyed, what Raymond Vermeulen was moaning about and Max said this as well but when everything isn’t so great on the car, at least we need to have good pit stops and good operational things going on.”
The pit stop errors, combined with the RB21’s lack of competitiveness, evidently fueled Vermeulen’s heated exchange with Marko.
Red Bull’s Performance in Context
Despite the disappointment in Bahrain, Kravitz urged caution in writing off Red Bull’s championship prospects. He reminded listeners of Verstappen’s strong performance just two weeks earlier in Japan, where he secured pole position and the race win.
“We’ve got short memories haven’t we? Not two weeks ago we were saying Max Verstappen is definitely back in the world championship after his fantastic performance in Japan. On pole and winning the grand prix. Let’s be a bit careful with this,” Kravitz noted.
The Briton also pointed out that Red Bull’s struggles in Bahrain were not entirely unexpected.
“Red Bull would have known from testing they weren’t as quick as the McLarens and actually the Mercedes. There were pretty much no surprises,” he said.
The team’s awareness of their pace deficit placed even greater emphasis on executing flawless pit stops, making the operational errors all the more frustrating for Verstappen’s camp.
Wheatley’s Departure: A Factor or Coincidence?
Red Bull’s pit stop prowess was long attributed to former sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, who recently left the team to become Sauber’s F1 team principal.
Wheatley was instrumental in establishing Red Bull as the benchmark for pit stop efficiency, including holding the record for the fastest pit stop for several seasons.
His departure has coincided with the team’s recent operational struggles, prompting speculation about its impact.
Former Red Bull Racing sporting director Jonathan Wheatley.
However, Kravitz dismissed the notion that Wheatley’s absence was the primary cause of the pit stop issues.
“Now, of course, cause-effect these things happen. If Jonathan Wheatley was still there would these things be still happening? Probably,” he said.
“The electronics in the pit stop traffic light system don’t know he’s now the Sauber team principal and left. He didn’t spend his evenings making sure the programming of the traffic light system in the pit stops is working and it’s probably nothing on the front-right that Jonathan Wheatley would have done. It’s a coincidence.”
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Kravitz suggested that the errors were likely due to technical glitches, such as issues with the pit stop traffic light system and the front-right wheel, rather than a direct result of Wheatley’s exit.
For Verstappen and his team, the focus will be on ensuring that operational excellence returns to complement their efforts on track, starting with this weekend’s race in Jeddah.
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The post True reason revealed for Verstappen camp’s furry in Bahrain appeared first on F1i.com.
