Rumors have been flying for months, placing the best driver on the grid in one team, then another, Aston Martin, Mercedes… but it seems that the Dutchman’s future is becoming clearer and everything indicates that, pending official confirmation, the four-time world champion already knows where he will be driving next season.
Mercedes tempts Verstappen
There have been many rumors linking Max Verstappen with a move away from Red Bull. Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso’s seat were heavily rumored for months, but the buzz gradually died down, while his future seemed more likely to be with Mercedes. In recent weeks, several episodes have served to fuel the fire: first, there was the renewal of Russell’s contract with Mercedes, which had been “agreed” for months but was delayed, causing a lot of nervousness and uncertainty for the English driver. It was Russell himself who stated several weeks ago that Toto Wolff and Max Verstappen had met.
This summer, during the first of the two F1 breaks, the Mercedes boss and the Dutch driver coincided on vacation in Sardinia. Coincidence? That’s what Toto Wolff said when asked.
But the truth is that, as of today, the bets for next year, in terms of who will have the best car, are on Mercedes, and it seemed like the perfect combination, the best driver and the best car to dominate the next era of F1.
Verstappen will stay at Red Bull
But Toto Wolff has not been able to seduce Verstappen, or at least not enough. The truth is that the Dutch press confirms that the driver will not be leaving Red Bull, and that his release clause cannot be exercised, meaning he must continue to fulfill a contract that ends in 2028.
Another episode of some relevance has been the dismissal of Christian Horner. Several weeks ago, other reports pointed to the team’s CEO as the condition for his continuity. The truth is that Horner is out of the team and his continuity is now taken for granted. Coincidence? It seems so, given the words the driver dedicated to him in the run-up to the Belgian Grand Prix, speaking of him as a father figure in sport.
A safe bet
If Verstappen stays at Red Bull for at least another year, it will be a safe bet for his aspirations in the coming years. With the arrival of the new F1 regulations, and although Mercedes starts as the favorite to have the best car, whether this will be the case is a question that will only be answered when next season begins. But it could be a better team: Aston Martin, or McLaren, or Red Bull itself… Staying with the team allows him to choose his destination with more guarantees once the first world championship with the new regulations has been contested. And if this move is confirmed, there is another thing to bear in mind: Verstappen likes Adrian Newey and he likes Honda…
Max Verstappen will stay for at least another year at Red Bull. The Dutch press is taking it as a given, and sources close to the driver are hinting that he will continue for another year. No details are known about his performance clause, but it is reported that it can no longer be exercised. So next year, Max Verstappen will continue to drive for the team that has taken him to the top of F1 over the last four years.