Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull Racing is locked in for the 2026 Formula 1 season, according to team advisor Helmut Marko.
The Dutch driver, who leads the 2025 drivers’ championship by a commanding margin, can no longer activate a key exit clause in his contract. That provision would have allowed him to depart if he trailed the fifth-placed driver by 50 points or more after the Singapore Grand Prix in September.
Following his dominant win at the Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen sits on 265 points, 78 ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fifth. With just nine races left before the deadline, even a string of poor results couldn’t drop him far enough to trigger the option.
Marko, speaking to German outlet Auto Motor und Sport, said: “Max will be driving for us in 2026. The clause is out of play now.”
Verstappen’s deal runs until 2028, but speculation about a potential switch—perhaps to Mercedes—has swirled amid Red Bull’s internal shifts, including the departure of design guru Adrian Newey to Aston Martin next year.
For now, though, the three-time world champion remains committed, bolstering Red Bull’s push against rivals like McLaren, where Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have closed the constructors’ gap to 51 points.
This stability comes at a pivotal moment, with new engine rules looming in 2026 and Red Bull set to produce its own power units in partnership with Ford. Verstappen’s presence could prove crucial as the team navigates that transition.
Sources (click to expand):
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/33410775/max-verstappen-signs-new-contract-stay-red-bull-2028,
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max-verstappens-red-bull-contract-is-changing-for-2026-and-it-could-spell-trouble-for-laurent-mekies/,
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/max-verstappen-set-to-trigger-contract-clause-keeping-him-at-red-bull-for-f1-2026/10727761/,
https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/1kykn4v/verstappen_set_to_trigger_contract_clause_keeping/,
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https://www.autoevolution.com/news/f1-max-verstappen-set-to-remain-at-red-bull-racing-for-2026-255076.html,
https://motorcyclesports.net/formula-1/verstappens-fate-sealed-red-bull-locks-in-champion-until-2026/,
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https://www.inkl.com/news/the-key-number-set-to-keep-max-verstappen-at-red-bull-for-2026
