According to British colleagues at Sky UK, it was Max Verstappen’s entourage that initiated contact with McLaren—not the other way around. The revelation adds another twist to one of the biggest Formula 1 transfer stories of the season, as speculation continues over the Dutchman’s long-term future with Red Bull.
Verstappen and the McLaren possibility
The Austrian Grand Prix could prove to be an important turning point in Max Verstappen’s relationship with Red Bull. The upgrades introduced by the Milton Keynes-based team allowed the four-time world champion to come within a single corner of securing a front-row start and to fight for victory at Red Bull’s home race.
Perhaps more importantly, the team’s improved performance may help cool the transfer speculation sparked by the Daily Mail, which claimed Verstappen had been holding talks with McLaren, where he would once again work alongside his former race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase.
The existence of any secret negotiations was denied by Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, although he stopped short of completely closing the door. He made it clear that Verstappen’s long-term future at Red Bull depends on one key factor: the team must continue to provide him with a car capable of fighting at the front.
In that respect, the Austrian Grand Prix has given Red Bull fresh optimism. The progress shown by the RB22 could convince the Dutch driver to remain with the team and move away from the McLaren option.
However, according to Sky UK, it was Verstappen’s representatives who made the initial approach to McLaren.
“As we understand it, these discussions were initiated by the driver’s representatives rather than McLaren. It is perfectly normal for teams and drivers to exchange views, especially at this time of year. The interesting aspect of the talks with McLaren is that, ever since Verstappen’s future became a topic of discussion in 2024, the papaya team had never really been considered a realistic destination for him.”
Zak Brown responds to the speculation
McLaren CEO Zak Brown reacted to the rumours with a humorous comment while referring to the team’s current drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“If, for some strange reason, someone were to slip on a banana peel while getting out of the bathtub, then yes, of course, Max is a four-time world champion.”
Max Verstappen’s current contract with Red Bull runs until the end of the 2028 Formula 1 season. However, like most modern agreements, it reportedly includes performance-related exit clauses that could allow an earlier departure.
According to the reports, Verstappen could choose to leave Red Bull as early as 2027 if he is not inside the top two of the Drivers’ Championship by the summer break at the end of July, making the coming months particularly significant for both the Dutchman and the Milton Keynes-based team.
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