Red Bull Racing senior advisor Helmut Marko has accused Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff of fueling rumors about Max Verstappen 's switch to Mercedes, especially about the exit clause in the Dutch driver's contract.

Verstappen himself has had little to say about the situation, though it has also been rumored that he’s been unhappy as far back as last year, when the now-fired Horner was accused of inappropriate behavior by a Red Bull employee. With Horner now gone, though, perhaps Verstappen is feeling better about continuing.

Verstappen must now focus on spearheading Red Bull ’s recovery effort. The Milton Keynes squad are now 28 points behind third-placed Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship standings, and they would be significantly worse off were it not for the Dutchman’s efforts.