According to Juan Pablo Montoya, it won’t be easy for Max Verstappen to decide when to leave Red Bull. The Colombian believes the Dutchman has limited room to maneuver.
Max the market king? Not so fast, says Montoya
Recently, Red Bull has seen the departure of Adrian Newey, Jonathan Whatley, Christian Horner, and Helmut Marko, yet Max Verstappen remains firmly in the cockpit, especially since his contract runs until 2028.
Of course, exit clauses exist, and if Red Bull were to experience a particularly difficult 2026 due to the uncertainties of Verstappen’s first season with the team as a power unit supplier, he could potentially terminate his contract and move elsewhere. However, Juan Pablo Montoya believes it’s not that simple.
“It will be difficult for Verstappen to decide if and when to leave Red Bull,” Juan Pablo Montoya said in an interview with Grosvenor Casinos. “Imagine he decides around April or May to make a move and negotiate with Mercedes. But what if Red Bull then recovers by the end of the season and starts winning repeatedly? In F1, it’s all about being in the right place at the right time, and even if Verstappen decided to leave, there’s no guarantee he would find a seat anywhere. At Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are not going anywhere. At Aston Martin, if Newey nails the car, do you think Lawrence Stroll would remove Lance precisely when he could start winning races? And again, at Aston Martin, they already have the driver capable of winning the championship – Fernando Alonso.” – the former Formula 1 driver concluded.
This reality leaves the triple world champion in a precarious position. While his talent is undeniable, the logistical puzzle of the F1 grid suggests that sticking with Red Bull through their transition into the new engine regulations might be his only viable path, regardless of the internal turmoil at Milton Keynes.
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