The start of summer traditionally marks the moment when attention gradually shifts towards next year’s driver market – the well-known ‘silly season’ in Formula 1.
Ferrari and Charles Leclerc already stole a march on that process ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix by extending their partnership. The exact duration of the contract has not been disclosed, but Ferrari has confirmed that it is a multi-year agreement, meaning Leclerc will remain with the Scuderia into the next decade.
That takes him off the market, but there are still plenty of pieces of the puzzle to be filled across the coming months. And, just like last year, a crucial part of that puzzle revolves around Max Verstappen.
The Red Bull driver previously held the longest contract in F1, with a deal running through to the end of 2028, although he has now been overtaken in that regard by Leclerc.
Speaking to Dutch media including Autosport in Monaco, Verstappen made it clear that he is not thinking about a new deal at all. He would rather wait, for two different reasons: firstly whether he wants to remain in F1 and secondly, which team would offer the best chances of a competitive package and good environment.
“I haven’t signed a new contract for quite a while, but that’s normal,” said the 28-year-old. “It’s absolutely not my biggest concern at the moment, a new contract. I still have two years left.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB22
Photo by: Erik Junius
When it was suggested that Red Bull may want to tie him down for even longer, Verstappen replied: “I first need to decide for myself whether I want to continue beyond 2028. That’s why I’m not in a hurry at all. Otherwise, I would have signed a contract until 2040 a long time ago!”
As for the first step – whether Verstappen even wants to continue in F1 next year – he spoke positively in Canada about the ‘agreement in principle’ to change the balance between internal combustion power and electric power to a 60-40 split.
Verstappen said that such a move would “definitely help” in keeping him in F1, although the political reality behind the scenes has proven far more sensitive than that. Several manufacturers oppose parts of the proposal for different reasons- ranging from Ferrari’s focus on ADUO to Audi’s concerns over costs – meaning discussions about a compromise are still ongoing behind closed doors.
It is an important factor for Verstappen’s future, although based on the current situation it seems more than likely that he will stay. For exactly that reason, the four-time world champion was also reluctant to pass judgement on the political process when asked about it by Autosport in Monaco.
“Let’s wait and see what comes out of it,” he said. “I’ve said everything I wanted to say about it. Now it’s up to the FIA and FOM together to make a decision and I hope they make the right decision for the sport.”
Asked whether the FIA is aware that it could be a deal-breaker for him, the Dutchman laughed: “Well, I think they also read your stories. I’ve generally always had good communication with them, so I hope the right outcome comes from it.”
Red Bull hopes Verstappen speaks out, but he has no reason to
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team Principal
Photo by: Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Assuming that the eventual compromise is indeed something Verstappen can live with, the next question is naturally which colours he will be wearing in 2027.
Red Bull has repeatedly expressed confidence that Verstappen will simply continue at the Milton Keynes-based team next season. That is partly because the Dutchman has an environment built around him there, but also because of the freedom Red Bull offers him outside F1 – for example to compete at the Nurburgring and to choose which GT3 manufacturer he wants to do that with.
Verstappen has repeatedly stressed that the freedom to pursue his endurance ambitions is absolutely crucial to him, and that he would not even enter discussions with another team if that could not be accommodated.
Last year, two other factors also played a role in Verstappen remaining loyal to Red Bull. The first was, logically, the exit clauses in his contract. After the Belgian Grand Prix, it became clear that Verstappen would be inside the top three in the championship standings heading into the summer break, meaning he could not trigger the clause for 2026.
Secondly, Red Bull had just dismissed Christian Horner and replaced him with Laurent Mekies, a move Verstappen spoke positively about and with whom he has a good working relationship. Politically, it would have been almost impossible to leave only a few weeks after that transition, which is why Verstappen stated in Hungary last year that he would have stayed with Red Bull regardless of the clauses in his contract.
This year, the situation could theoretically be different. Verstappen currently sits seventh in the championship, meaning the clause situation potentially opens up different possibilities than it did a year ago.
#3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO: Max Verstappen, Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon, Lucas Auer
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull hopes Verstappen publicly commits to the team before then, partly to avoid another saga like last season and partly because the team is naturally aware of the contractual situation as well.
But from Verstappen’s perspective, there is no need to make such a statement now. He might be better off waiting – both for clarity on the FIA side and to assess the competitive picture, including how things develop at rival teams such as Mercedes and McLaren.
Just like last year, Red Bull has to show Verstappen that it is capable of turning a difficult start to the season into a successful campaign. The Miami upgrade package marked a positive first step, but Verstappen and the team want to see more. Things have gone surprisingly well in Monaco, but the Dutchman added that Barcelona – a circuit featuring several high-speed corners as well – will be the real test to determine how competitive the evolved package truly is.
The 2026 season will above all be a development battle, both on the chassis side and on the power unit side thanks to ADUO, which means Verstappen is best served by waiting before making any public commitment.
Inevitably, that brings back the traditional speculation about teams such as Mercedes. George Russell has a contract in place and was adamant during the April break that he would remain with the Silver Arrows next year, but contracts in F1 are never decisive on their own. Performance always plays a key role.
Ferrari has already moved ahead of any potential domino effect
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photo by: Erik Junius
It means Verstappen once again appears set to play the key role in F1’s upcoming silly season. If he were to leave one day, Red Bull logically needs a shortlist of potential replacements. Leclerc and Oscar Piastri would be among the most obvious drivers to pursue in such a scenario, although the former is definitively off the market following Ferrari’s announcement ahead of Monaco.
Piastri responded skilfully to previous reports linking him to Red Bull by saying that while he is very happy at McLaren, he finds interest from other teams flattering – also for his value as a driver. The Australian, too, has a contract for the upcoming seasons, but as with every driver on the grid, those agreements contain clauses.
That means the ball initially lies with the FIA and subsequently with Verstappen. A move by the Dutchman would trigger a domino effect throughout the driver market. But if he stays put, the market may remain relatively calm at the sharp end of the grid – just as it did last year.
Ferrari, at least, has already positioned itself ahead of any scenario. By securing Leclerc, the team has retained its cornerstone for the future, while Lewis Hamilton has made it clear that he is “here to stay” despite continuous speculation. And if that situation were ever to change, the Scuderia still has Oliver Bearman waiting in the wings alongside the experienced Leclerc.
Ferrari is therefore well covered regardless of what happens. Whether there will be movement elsewhere appears – just as it did 12 months ago – to depend largely on one man. Red Bull would like that man to speak out, but Verstappen has no reason to do so and would be wise to wait until later this summer.
We want to hear from you!
Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.
Take our survey
– The Autosport.com Team
Read the full article here