Max Verstappen’s Red Bull decision edges closer as key confirmation expected

Max Verstappen appears set to remain with Red Bull for the F1 2026 season, with some firm driver market decisions expected shortly.

The four-time F1 World Champion’s immediate future with Red Bull looks secure, as clarity regarding some key cockpits is understood to be imminent.

Max Verstappen’s future looks set to be at Red Bull… for now

Verstappen’s future with Red Bull has been the subject of intense speculation ever since the Milton Keynes-based squad’s performance dipped in 2024, and McLaren’s improved performance has seen the Dutch driver become a dark horse for this year’s title, rather than the favourite.

This performance level could have played a major part in the dismissal of Christian Horner from his roles as CEO and team principal, with the shock news being made public after the British Grand Prix.

The exact reasons for Horner’s dismissal haven’t been made public by Red Bull GmbH, while Verstappen – who isn’t believed to have personally added to the pressure applied to Red Bull’s shareholders to remove Horner – spoke of his excitement at the team’s new direction under Laurent Mekies when he spoke to the media on Thursday.

The Dutch driver, who has conspicuously evaded offering a firm indication that he will remain at Red Bull for 2026, is understood to have an exit clause built into his contract with the team.

Under contract until F1 2028, the exit clause is believed to come into effect should Verstappen be fourth or lower in the Drivers’ Championship after next week’s Hungarian Grand Prix. He is currently third, 18 points clear of Mercedes’ George Russell, whose seat Verstappen has been most closely associated with.

An exit clause in a driver’s contract merely makes it easier for that driver to walk away from a contract earlier, should they wish to do so, and are optional for a driver to exercise if one is activated – and a financial settlement or mutual agreement can still trump any of the conditions of such a clause.

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Russell’s future has yet to be confirmed, and the British driver has insisted he’s in “no rush” to sort his future, as he revealed on Thursday that, at present, there is no contract on the table for him to sign.

“The intention was always pre-summer break, because that’s just people go into summer and you want to get something sorted,” Russell told the media, including PlanetF1.com, in Belgium.

“Realistically, is that going to be the case? I don’t know. There is still no contract on the table. So to have something done in the space of two weeks isn’t likely.

“You need to talk about finer details, and Formula 1’s evolving so much now, you need to go through everything with a fine-tooth comb to make sure it’s all okay.”

These finer details, rather than an inability to reach a mutual agreement – whether that be durational or financial – are understood to form the crux of the delay in confirming Russell’s future with Mercedes.

Examples of such details could be in a driver seeking greater control over their marketing day requirements, or over control of their personal image, or sponsorship appearances over the course of a season.

But it’s expected that these finer details will be ironed out. As has long been stated by team boss Toto Wolff, the priority has been to continue with Russell and rookie hotshot Kimi Antonelli, although it would be remiss of any team boss not to weigh up whether securing a proven generational talent like Verstappen was possible.

The incumbent drivers at Mercedes appear set to be confirmed in the near future, perhaps even before the summer break.

This confirmation would end the speculation surrounding Verstappen’s immediate future, at least when it comes to Mercedes, with sources indicating the Dutch driver will remain with Red Bull for 2026.

Logically, remaining put with Red Bull makes sense. Not only does the Dutch driver have a team fully committed to his cause, including an unchallenged number one position, but the uncertainty over the revolutionary 2026 regulations means, at this point, there is no team on the grid which guarantees competitiveness.

While paddock whispers have suggested Mercedes’ new power unit could be the engine to beat next season, it’s understood Red Bull’s burgeoning power unit project has hit every target set – the key unknown being how these targets compare to rival offerings such as Mercedes’, Honda, Audi, and Ferrari.

As previously reported, Verstappen is believed to have already internally signalled his commitment to remain with Red Bull for the time being, even if he is leaving the door open somewhat in his answers.

On Thursday, he re-iterated his desire to remain true to a target he set himself when he signed his lengthy contract extension in early 2022.

“In general, I’m very happy where I’m at,” he said.

“I hope to – and that was still the target that was set out when we signed a new deal – drive here until the end of my career.”

While Verstappen has long called for stability within Red Bull as being key to his continued happiness within the team, his words on Thursday suggest that Horner’s removal – which is believed to have been met with disappointment at the Milton Keynes factory – doesn’t represent instability, perhaps indicating that Verstappen hasn’t viewed Horner as being necessary to contribute to Red Bull’s competitiveness.

Horner’s replacement, Laurent Mekies, is facing a huge challenge over the coming months to take over all of the British executive’s many roles and responsibilities, and the Frenchman was asked directly on Friday whether a priority for him will be in securing Verstappen’s future.

“In terms of priority, I’m sure what Max wants is a fast car. If we get him a fast car, it cancels out all the other considerations,” Mekies said.

“So really, the focus is very much, as we said earlier, to get to know the team as quickly as possible in order to see how we can support, how we can build the next step of competitiveness in order to get a fast car and hence make it an easy call for Max.”

For now, it appears Verstappen is hedging his bets. While likely committed to Red Bull for F1 2026, the exact same uncertainty could dominate headlines next year should the RB22 prove less than stellar, but could also be completely behind him should Mekies quickly find his feet as Horner’s successor and help in the creation of a competitive car and development path.

Should Red Bull stumble, Verstappen would thus have a very clear picture of which teams have got a good handle on the new regulation cycle and can make a much more informed decision than is possible at present.

It’s for this reason that, while the expectation is that Russell and Antonelli will remain with Brackley next year, it’s quite likely that one – or both – could be on a single-year deal to ensure an easy welcome for Verstappen is possible, as it’s believed Red Bull won’t stand in his way should it fail to deliver.

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