VERSTAPPEN: “I HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR 2026”
Max Verstappen acknowledges the possibility of switching to another team for the 2026 season but emphasizes that his current priority is to restore Red Bull to its former performance level.
The Formula 1 world continues to speculate about which team Verstappen will race for in the 2026 season. Although he has a contract with Red Bull that runs until 2028, it is known that Verstappen has performance-related exit clauses in his contract. This has led to various speculations about his future, especially given the recent power struggles within Red Bull and the team’s decline in performance.
With major teams like Mercedes and Aston Martin showing interest, Verstappen insists that his sole focus right now is to bring Red Bull back to its competitive status.
Speaking to Motorsport.com about questions regarding his future, Verstappen responded, “Yes, of course I know it’s possible to go to another team, but right now I’m really not focused on that. There are other things we need to deal with, and we need to focus on areas where we want to improve. We’ll see what happens in the future. I’m not thinking too much about that right now. But if it doesn’t happen, that’s okay. It won’t change my life.”
On the other hand, Helmut Marko mentioned in an interview with RTL/ntv that Verstappen has an exit clause in his contract: “Most top drivers have performance-related exit clauses, and Max is one of them. If we can’t provide him with a car that competes at the front, then that will definitely be something he will consider.”
