Oct.15 (GMM) Max Verstappen’s growing authority inside Red Bull does not make him a “de facto team boss”, according to Dutch journalist Erik van Haren.
Speaking on The Inside Track podcast, the De Telegraaf reporter – known for his close links to the Verstappen camp – addressed claims that the four-time world champion has gained unprecedented influence in the post-Christian Horner, Laurent Mekies-led era.
“His influence is really big,” Van Haren admitted. “But I wouldn’t say he’s the team principal. I hope that’s not the case – I don’t think that would be a healthy situation.”
Both Dr Helmut Marko and new team boss Mekies have credited Verstappen’s technical feedback and leadership as key factors in Red Bull’s turnaround since Horner’s departure earlier this year.
Van Haren, however, said the situation remains within normal bounds for a driver of Verstappen’s calibre. “Everyone in the team sees what he brings, both on the sporting side and on the marketing side,” he said.
“Selling shirts – a lot of that is because of Verstappen. With all due respect, it’s not usually because of the second driver. Of course, Checo Perez has huge fan days in Mexico and Yuki in Japan, but Verstappen is the guy who wins the races for them – often without having the best car.”
He added that Verstappen’s success naturally give him a major voice in the team. “If you’ve been in a top team for ten years, you end up with a big say in a lot of things,” Van Haren said.
“He has the technical experience and background as well, and it would be silly for a team not to use that.”
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