Max Verstappen’s future has been the subject of intense speculation, with doubts growing over his desire to remain with Red Bull beyond the current Formula One season
Red Bull’s incoming engine partner Ford have insisted they will remain committed to the team even if Max Verstappen leaves at the end of the season. Verstappen has won four successive world championships with Red Bull.
But they have slipped back behind McLaren this season, with Verstappen only able to compete in the drivers’ standings due to his own world-class ability. Red Bull’s downturn, coupled with a turbulent time for team principal Christian Horner has cast doubt on Verstappen’s future.
The Dutchman is understood to have a break clause in his contract, which would allow him to switch teams at the end of the season. He was in the running to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for this year after the Brit joined Ferrari.
The SIlver Arrows are a possible destination again, while Verstappen has also been linked with a move to Aston Martin after they brought in former Red Bull design mastermind Adrian Newey.
Next season will see a major rules change package come into effect. It will also see Red Bull switch engine manufacturers from Honda to the Red Bull Powertrains project, which is backed by Ford. And the American company have insisted they will stick by Red Bull even if Verstappen departs.
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“Everywhere we race we want to have the best team with the best drivers and the best people. But did we sign the deal for any one person in particular? No, because we know that it’s a long-term deal and that those people are going to change,” Mark Rushbrook, boss of Ford Motorsport and Ford Performance, told Motorsport.com.
“We knew that about Christian Horner, about Adrian Newey, about the drivers and some of them have changed already before we even got on the racetrack. Do we want to see Max stay in the Red Bull-Ford for 2026 and beyond? Of course. He’s a champion.
“He’s a great person and he elevates the entire team with him, but are we going to run away if Max leaves the team? No. We are committed. I wouldn’t call it a fear, but we want to take the right actions to make sure that the team with Red Bull Powertrains-Ford continues to win races.
“As I said, all the people in the programme are an important part of that. So do you take actions to keep a driver like Max in there? You’re already taking those actions anyway because you want to win, but do you also keep a pulse on the people? Of course, so I guess the answer is yes [that we’d like to keep him].”
Newey meanwhile has promised Verstappen better working conditions if he did move across to Aston Martin. The design legend has aimed a thinly veiled dig at Red Bull’s facilities compared to Aston’s, under the watch of team owner Lawrence Stroll.
“Lawrence’s vision has created a great facility – the best facility in F1 – but it is important that we now optimise how we use it. Again, this is a people sport,” Newey said.
“My previous team had one of the worst wind tunnels in F1 and operates out of an unremarkable series of buildings on an industrial estate, but it managed to get everybody working together and developed a great group of people.
“We have many talented people – also a few areas that need strengthening with greater numbers – and we need to get everyone working together better, using these tools and developing our abilities.”
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