Sebastian Vettel weighs in on the ongoing turmoil at Red Bull Racing, expressing skepticism about Max Verstappen’s departure from the team despite internal tensions.

Verstappen finds himself entangled in the internal strife at Red Bull, where team principal Christian Horner faces pressure from influential figures like Verstappen’s father, Jos, and team advisor Helmut Marko. Verstappen’s loyalty to Marko has played a role in shielding the latter from scrutiny, with Verstappen indicating he would consider leaving Red Bull if Marko were to depart.

While Horner enjoys support from key stakeholders within Red Bull, including majority shareholder Chalerm Yoodivhya and Austrian CEOs Franz Watzlawick and Oliver Mintzlaff, the prospect of retaining Horner over Verstappen looms large for the company.

Despite recent discussions aimed at easing tensions, speculation persists regarding Verstappen’s future, fueled further by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff’s interest in recruiting him to replace Lewis Hamilton.

Former Red Bull driver and Formula 1 champion Vettel offers his perspective on the situation, suggesting that Verstappen has no immediate reason to consider leaving the team from a sporting standpoint.

Red Bull legend Vettel has now given his view of the situation and doubts Verstappen would walk away. “There is, of course, a lot of unrest at the moment, but I think from a sporting perspective there is currently no reason for him to think about anything else,” the four-time F1 champion told German publication Sport.

In addition to commenting on the Red Bull saga, Vettel shares his thoughts on another major F1 development—the surprising announcement of Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes to Ferrari. Vettel, himself a former Ferrari driver, acknowledges the gravity of Hamilton’s decision and expresses his surprise while also extending his congratulations to his former rival.

He added: “Of course, like many others, I was surprised because of the connection he had with Mercedes over the years. I thought that somehow another report would come from ‘I don’t know where’, but then it was confirmed. I then wrote to him straight away and congratulated him.”

While Vettel remains retired from Formula 1, he recently tested a Porsche Hypercar, hinting at potential future endeavors. However, he remains undecided about participating in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans race in June.