Max Verstappen is running out of options to leave Red Bull ahead of the 2026 season. And, for now, the only thing that is certain is that he will remain with the energy drink team. The Dutchman has not been able to find the right balance between his car and his stratospheric driving.
Verstappen tried to leave Red Bull in search of a winning car
The four-time world champion is another week behind McLaren in the standings and is finding it increasingly difficult to retain his crown in 2025. Between races, rumors about his possible departure from Red Bull next year have been growing.
However, this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona is shaping up to be not only a turning point in his season but also a moment when his future could be clarified. At least for next season. And for now, it looks like he will be staying with Red Bull for another season.
In fact, one of the owners of the Milton Keynes team was quick to deny rumors of Verstappen’s departure next year. “I am convinced that he will continue the long journey he has embarked on with Red Bull in the future. Max will also drive for us in 2026,” Mintzlaff, the team’s CEO, told German newspaper Bild.
The release clause with Red Bull will not be activated either.
Verstappen has a contract until 2028, and Mintzlaff said he is not concerned that Verstappen could leave early through a release clause, the famous performance clause he has, despite speculation that he could leave after this season if the results are not good, as is happening, on the other hand. This clause stipulated that, at the end of June, with the Austrian Grand Prix, the driver could activate it if he was not among the top four in the championship. He would have to suffer a complete debacle to be able to do so.
What’s more, one of the teams where the Dutchman was placed was Aston Martin, coinciding not only with the arrival of Adrian Newey at Silverstone, but also with the complete expansion and growth of the green team in recent years with the aim of making the team a winning entity. And if it’s with Fernando Alonso, even more so. In fact, the offer made by Lawrence Stroll for 2026 was estimated at €88 million.
All this at a time when Red Bull has lost ground in the championship and is now clearly a car that is well behind McLaren and, at times, Ferrari and Mercedes. As a result, the driver has reportedly begun to look beyond the Milton Keynes team, added to the initial news that the Ford engine for next year (which will be fitted by Red Bull) has started with timing problems, falling behind Honda, Mercedes, and Ferrari.
Newey puts an end to speculation between Verstappen and Aston Martin: “A champion always looks for the best car.”
In any case, the rumors faded with the arrival of the European races, and last weekend in Monaco, speaking for the first time dressed in green, Adrian Newey put an end to the speculation. And for no other reason than the plan currently in place at Fernando Alonso’s team. “As you can imagine, a champion always looks for the best car,” Newey said. “So, if we want to attract Max, we know we’ll have to build a winning car. For now, there’s no point in fantasizing,” he said. “We’ll need time before we can win races.”
In this case, there have been no signs either from Verstappen or from Mercedes, the team that is awaiting the renewal of Russell’s contract, although it seems only a matter of time before the Briton signs his new contract with the brand with the star logo. But the question is whether Max can really leave Red Bull. During the storm that rocked the team last year, Verstappen’s contract (valid until 2028) was renegotiated. It is presumed that Max obtained certain financial benefits, but the clause allowing him to leave the team in the event of Helmut Marko’s departure was removed.
When asked why he has not given a resounding yes to continuing with the bulls, Verstappen stresses that he wants to see how this season evolves. For the moment, he does not want to commit 100% to anything about his future and is therefore keeping a lower profile, although he always reaffirms his intention to stay at Red Bull and fulfill the contract he signed until 2028 immediately after winning his first World Championship.