According to the former Dutch driver, a move of the four-time world champion to Woking could be feasible for several reasons.
2026 nightmare, at least at the start
The start of the season has proven to be anything but positive for Max Verstappen, who is dissatisfied from several perspectives. In addition to the disappointing results — with the Dutch driver failing to finish on the podium in the first three races and only managing a best result of 6th place in Australia — the four-time world champion has also heavily criticised the new technical regulations set to be introduced in 2026.
This combination of factors led the Red Bull driver, after the Japanese Grand Prix, to not rule out the possibility of retiring from Formula 1.
The McLaren hypothesis: Van der Garde’s view
Since that statement, numerous opinions have emerged from former drivers, including that of Verstappen’s compatriot Giedo van der Garde. The former Caterham driver in the 2013 Formula 1 season, now 40 years old, shared his thoughts in FORMULA 1 Magazine, outlining what the future of the driver known as “#3” could look like — in his view still firmly in F1 and far from retirement.
“Opinions don’t matter. Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren, is simply a business rogue who knows exactly what to do. A move of Max to McLaren could be a concrete option. It is up to Max and his management to carefully evaluate what they want and where they can secure the best deal. The options are not lacking, because everyone wants Max. McLaren has the advantage of being able to rely on several former Red Bull veterans with whom it has already achieved success, such as Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay.”
McLaren aims for the top
In addition to Marshall and Courtenay, another figure who could facilitate Max Verstappen’s potential move to McLaren is his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, who is expected to join the Woking-based team in 2028.
“It seems like a deliberate strategy from McLaren to secure the best talent from competitors, a bit like Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga,” Van der Garde added. “Feelings don’t matter. Zak Brown has no scruples and knows exactly how to achieve his goal. Success is only achieved with the right people in the right places. As a team, you can have the best driver, but if the car doesn’t work, you will still be mid-table or at the back. Just look at Red Bull.”
The speculation surrounding Max Verstappen’s future highlights the shifting power dynamics in the 2026 Formula 1 paddock. While Red Bull struggles to adapt to the new technical era, McLaren’s aggressive recruitment of top-tier engineering talent—and potentially the most dominant driver of the decade—signals their intent to become the sport’s new benchmark. Whether Verstappen chooses to retire or seek a fresh challenge in Woking, the “silly season” of 2026 is already proving to be one of the most transformative in recent history.
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