Rivals will monitor Verstappen’s availability
It is no secret that Verstappen feels a great sense of loyalty to Red Bull. This is why the Dutchman consistently names the Austrian team as where he sees his future in Formula 1.
His existing contract, which does not expire until 2028, is also an important factor. Still, it must be remembered that exit clauses could give the 28-year-old the flexibility. These exit clauses will be largely dependent on whether Red Bull find themselves off the pace.
For all of Verstappen’s obvious affection towards Red Bull, his objective is still to win. This means, should Red Bull not be in a position to fight for titles, other teams will sense an opportunity.
The conversations between Toto Wolff and Max Verstappen in 2025, therefore, are extremely relevant. Despite contractual limitations, the Mercedes team principal spent months negotiating with the Dutchman.
Wolff did this despite the awkward position it put his existing drivers, including George Russell. In the end, it was only Verstappen’s inability to activate his exit clause (due to his Championship position at the summer break) that definitively ended talks for 2026.
Make no mistake, however, that there was clear interest between both parties. Moreover, it seems unlikely that Toto Wolff’s interest in the Quadruple World Champion will go away any time soon.
Beyond Mercedes, other teams are eager to see how the situation at Red Bull develops in 2026. Whilst Mercedes are seen as one of the favourites this year, there are plenty of teams with ambitions of the front.
Whichever team leads the pack this season will be in the strongest negotiations position. The question becomes whether Red Bull give Verstappen enough reason to believe they can fight for titles.
Main photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images (Red Bull Content Pool)
