EXCLUSIVE: Max Verstappen's quit threat is real but F1 could survive without him, says ex-Red Bull chief

Verstappen's quit threat is being treated as serious by observers, according to a former Red Bull executive. The Dutch driver's comments resurfaced during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, when he warned he would walk away at season's end if the engine regulation changes planned for 2027 fail to pass. The proposed shift would move the power unit balance from near 50-50 toward 60-40 in favor of electrical energy. Hopkins, Red Bull's head of operations from 2013 to 2015, told Crash.net via BetGoodwin that Verstappen's stance seems genuine rather than a negotiating tactic, pointing to his recent GT3 car outing as evidence of a craving for more raw racing. Hopkins said the threat is real and not a hollow promise.