Max Verstappen is fully aware that this year he will not have real chances of fighting for the Formula 1 World Championship title. The supremacy shown by McLaren, combined with the evident drop in performance from Red Bull Racing, has left the Dutch driver without a realistic opportunity to compete for the crown. In recent races, the RB21 has displayed clear technical problems, and Verstappen has not managed to secure a single victory since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
The lack of direct battles on track with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri has only intensified speculation about the future of Max Verstappen. Many rumors suggested that he could leave the Milton Keynes-based team as early as next season and potentially move closer to a deal with Mercedes. After the dismissal of Christian Horner, those voices grew louder. However, Verstappen himself decided to silence any talk about his possible departure, making it clear that he intends to remain with Red Bull Racing also in 2026, when Formula 1 will enter a new regulatory era.
Step by step towards rebuilding
Looking ahead to the next championship, the four-time Formula 1 World Champion admitted that both he and the entire Red Bull team are already fully focused on the future. “I am very focused on 2026 with the team, to look ahead and make sure that we respect the new regulations and that we are competitive from the very beginning,” Verstappen told Formula 1’s official website. “The team has gone, obviously, from winning championships before I arrived, then through a rebuilding phase after I joined, and eventually to getting back to the very top by winning championships again.”
The Dutchman is fully conscious that the current loss of pace, combined with the sudden arrival of Laurent Mekies as new team principal, will require a process of rebuilding that cannot be completed overnight. Verstappen explained: “Now I have the feeling that this is more like a light rebuilding. We are still, of course, a very strong team, but I think that to take another step forward we need a bit of restructuring, maybe a deeper understanding of what is happening. That obviously takes some time, but hopefully not too much.”
As long as you want
For Helmut Marko, the long-time Red Bull advisor and one of the most influential figures inside the team, there were never any real doubts about Verstappen’s intention to stay. “I do not know what considerations he has made, personally and with his management, but from his statements it was clear that he wanted to remain,” Marko explained in an interview with F1-Insider. “Even if the release clause had come into effect, nobody knows what the situation will be in 2026. Mercedes presents itself as the favorite, but there is no proof of that,” he added.
Nevertheless, Helmut Marko is aware that the Dutch star is hungry for success, and if Red Bull is unable to give him the tools to continue winning, then it is fair for him to consider other options. “From his point of view, it makes much more sense to stay, to wait and see. If next year it turns out that we are not competitive, he can always reconsider his decision,” Marko concluded.
The future of Max Verstappen therefore remains tied to Red Bull Racing for now, with his sights firmly set on 2026. Yet in Formula 1, nothing is ever guaranteed, and fans around the world are left waiting to see whether the Dutch champion’s next triumphs will continue to be painted in Red Bull’s colors or if, one day, they will come under a different banner.
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