LATEST RED BULL EXIT RUMOURED, PLUS DONALD TRUMP TRIP REACTION – F1 NEWS ROUND-UP
Tuesday’s fast-paced F1 new round-up leads with reports of another big name potentially set to leave Red Bull and more from Donald Trump’s trip to the Miami Grand Prix.
It’s never a dull day in the world of Formula 1…
F1 news: Red Bull exit rumours, Donald Trump’s Miami GP visit
Jonathan Wheatley the next big name to leave Red Bull?
Following last week’s bombshell that Adrian Newey will depart Red Bull, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley is the latest big name to be linked with leaving the Constructors’ Champions.
Wheatley is another of the central figures behind Red Bull’s success and is widely credited for the team’s standard-setting pit-stop performance.
The Red Bull man is thought to be in negotiations over a new contract, but is also rumoured to have long-held ambitions of becoming a team principal in his own right.
At least two rival teams are rumoured to be considering a change at the top, which could open the door for Wheatley to take the leap into team management.
Read more: Another big name could leave Red Bull as teams consider management change
Max Verstappen weighs in on Donald Trump’s Miami GP appearance
Max Verstappen was pleased to see Donald Trump at the Miami Grand Prix, quipping that the former president’s appearance helped take the spotlight away from him.
Mr Trump, who will be aiming to retake his place in the White House later this year, graced the McLaren team with his presence in Miami on Sunday, remarking that he was the “lucky charm” behind Lando Norris’s maiden F1 victory.
The very sight of Mr Trump at an F1 race caused quite the stir, but Verstappen – no fan of the glitz and glamour of modern F1 – was quite relieved to see the former president take all the attention.
Read more: Max Verstappen found the only positive to having Donald Trump on Miami GP grid
Carlos Sainz confirmed as Audi’s top target for F1 2025
Sauber team boss Alessandro Alunni Bravi has confirmed that Carlos Sainz is Audi’s top target for the F1 2025 season in what will come as a blow to Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu’s hopes of staying on.
Audi announced the signing of Nico Hulkenberg from Haas last month, but the search remains on for the German driver’s team-mate for next season.
The team have been heavily linked with Sainz in recent months, with Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko claiming Audi have offered a lucrative three-year contract to the outgoing Ferrari driver.
Read more: Two current F1 drivers facing exit as Audi confirm their dream signing
Christian Horner hits back at Toto Wolff over Red Bull exodus concerns
Christian Horner has brushed off Toto Wolff’s claim that he’s seen an increase in Red Bull CVs, saying the Austrian should worry more about the 220 engine personnel Red Bull have signed from Mercedes than “one or two” CVs.
Red Bull’s competitors have wasted no time in taking advantage of the current uncertainty surrounding the team, with Wolff and McLaren’s Zak Brown claiming Red Bull employees are keen to flee the apparent sinking ship.
Horner has hit back at his old rival, suggesting Wolff should be more focused on his own issues at Mercedes.
Read more: Christian Horner issues Toto Wolff reminder: ‘We took 220’ staff members away from Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton ‘had enough’ as Mercedes exit looms
Almost two-and-a-half years after his last race win, Lewis Hamilton has admitted he has “had enough” of underachieving in F1.
Having won at least one race in every season between his debut in 2007 and 2021, Hamilton’s winless streak extended to 51 in Miami.
The seven-time World Champion, who announced in February that he will join Ferrari in F1 2025, has confessed that he is fed up with his current situation.
Read more: ‘I’ve had enough of this’ – Lewis Hamilton on his ‘tough’ final year with Mercedes
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