Verstappen’s ‘one-team’ fairytale? Red Bull must earn it in 2026, says manager
Max Verstappen likes the idea of being a one-team lifer. The reigning four-time World Champion has said more than once that finishing his F1 career at Red Bull would make for a “great story.” His manager, Raymond Vermeulen, agrees — but only if Red Bull keeps giving him the kind of car that writes chapters worth reading.
That’s the crux as F1 stares down 2026. With a sweeping reset of chassis and power unit rules on the way, the calm reassurances of long contracts are giving way to a reality everyone inside the paddock understands: if you’re not winning under the new regs, you’re exposed.
Verstappen, who debuted in 2015 with Toro Rosso before that whirlwind promotion and instant victory at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, has built his legacy in Red Bull colours. Four World Championships later, the bond is obvious. The plan, in Max’s words, remains simple: stay put and keep winning. “Ideally, I’d finish my career with one team,” he’s said. “That would be amazing.”
Vermeulen didn’t sugarcoat the condition attached to that dream. Speaking to De Telegraaf, he made it clear that 2026 is a crossroads. With the technical landscape about to be reshuffled, they’ll wait, watch, and judge. It’s not romance; it’s performance. And Max has the final call.
“Everything can change with the new regulations,” Vermeulen said. “It’s better to see who lands where and then decide. It would be a fantastic story if he spent his entire career at Red Bull — but only if he has the equipment to win.”
The timing of those remarks is no accident. The summer brought familiar background noise: Mercedes rumours, stirred this time by George Russell’s comment about “ongoing” talks influencing his own deal-making. Verstappen, before the break at the Hungarian Grand Prix, reiterated his 2026 focus with Red Bull. No grandstanding, just a clear signal: judge us on the new era.
Red Bull, of course, is stepping into that era with a very different proposition. The team will race its own power unit for the first time, developed with Ford. With electrical energy management set to be a bigger slice of performance and strategy, the integration of Red Bull Ford Powertrains with a new aero and chassis package is the project that will define Milton Keynes for years.
Vermeulen admitted there’s a worst-case scenario out there — for Red Bull and for others. “Yes, it’s possible you end up with no chance,” he said, before pointing out that moving early would’ve been a gamble anyway. New cycle, new uncertainties. No guarantees.
What will matter? Everything. Engine efficiency and deployment. A compliant chassis. Hiring and cohesion. It’s a puzzle, in Vermeulen’s words, and they’re still placing pieces. That’s why the Verstappen camp believes staying put through the reset is the smartest play.
Make no mistake: Verstappen wants more titles. He’s not easing off the throttle, and he’s not sentimental about underperforming hardware. “I’m very focused on ’26 with the team,” he’s said, “to make sure we nail the regulations and are competitive from the start.”
And there’s the bar. Red Bull knows what it takes to keep its star driver: a car and power unit that let him fight for wins from round one of 2026. If they hit it, the fairytale continues. If they miss, the market will stir in a way that doesn’t care much for fairytales.
For now, both sides are aligned: stay calm, build fast, and be ready when the lights go out on a very different Formula 1.
