Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull? The Dutch driver dismisses the rumors and focuses on the 2026 season.
After a period of undeniable dominance, the Austrian Formula 1 team is currently struggling to provide four-time World Champion Max Verstappen with the same level of competitiveness he experienced in previous seasons. So far in the current campaign, Max Verstappen has achieved only two Grand Prix victories, fueling speculation about a potential departure from Red Bull Racing. However, the Dutch driver, when discussing his expectations and the long-term vision for the 2026 season, expressed confidence in the team he has raced for throughout the majority of his professional career.
Max Verstappen maintains strong faith in the Austrian team with which he grew as a driver, and he highlighted the historical successes Red Bull enjoyed during Sebastian Vettel’s era to explain his optimism. “The team obviously went from winning championships before my arrival to a rebuilding phase once I joined. For many years, I didn’t have a championship-winning car, but eventually, we managed to climb back to the pinnacle and claim the world titles again,” Verstappen reflected, emphasizing the resilience and long-term strategy of the team.
At present, the Red Bull Racing team, led on the technical side by Laurent Mekies, does not have a car as consistently competitive and dominant as the one that secured championships just two years ago. Despite this, Max Verstappen believes that returning to the previous level of performance will not be an insurmountable task. “Right now, I feel like we’re in a phase of light reconstruction. We are still a very strong team, but I think that taking the next step forward requires some targeted innovation and a clearer understanding of the issues at hand. Naturally, this takes a bit of time, but I hope not too long,” he explained, underlining both his patience and his confidence in the team’s capacity to recover.
Max Verstappen concluded with encouraging signals for the upcoming season, showing certainty in Red Bull Racing’s ability to overcome current challenges and regain its former dominance. “I think it’s also partly the team’s mentality to come out of these situations stronger. It has always been like this, so I’m not too worried,” Verstappen added, highlighting the resilience, experience, and strategic approach that have defined Red Bull Racing for over a decade in Formula 1.
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