Although Max Verstappen has ruled out an immediate departure from Red Bull at the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season, his future continues to be the subject of frenzied speculation.
Much of that has been stirred up by Verstappen himself, as well as his inner circle acting as his proxy. The aim has been to keep ‘cracking the whip’ over the team, motivating it to give him a better car – and letting its senior figures know who is in the driving seat in this relationship.
The latest slap has come in the form of an interview with Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. This is significant since that newspaper is very much the official mouthpiece of ‘Team Max’, and the upshot of the interview is clear: if the team continues to underperform next season, Max will be gone.
“It would be a fantastic story if he [Verstappen] were to drive his entire Formula 1 career for Red Bull,” Vermeulen said. “But that will only happen if he has the equipment to be able to win.”
It was widely known that Verstappen’s contract included a so-called performance clause giving him the option of leaving if he was below a certain point in the drivers’ championship at the summer break. This figure was understood to be third – which is where Max happened to be.
So it would have been difficult to exit straight away, even if there had been a vacancy at another leading team with the offer of a better car. But it is also understood that the contractual terms shift in Verstappen’s favour as the arrangement nears its end point in the 2028 season.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, with team principal Laurent Mekies
Photo by: Mark Thompson – Getty Images
So Vermeulen was very clear in setting out that Red Bull needs to do better in 2026 if it is to keep him beyond the end of next season. This will be a significant challenge since the team is building its own engine for the new regulations, albeit with support from Ford.
“Next year it’s not only about the engine, but also about the chassis,” Vermeulen said. “And which people are brought in here, what impact will that have? It’s like putting together a puzzle.
“That’s why the conclusion was that it’s better to stay at least one more year. Max wants to win more championships in the future. He’s not done in that regard, but he is dependent on the equipment.
“So I think 2026 will be a very important year, one that will determine where his future lies in Formula 1.”
Read the full article here