Max Verstappen admits: Not sure if he’ll stay at Red Bull in 2026

16:43, 24 Jul

Updated: 19:51, 24 Jul

byCas van de Kleut

With Christian Horner's dismissal, four-time world champion Max Verstappen is driving with a new team boss at Red Bull Racing for the first time. The Dutchman, among others, responded to GPblog in Belgium when asked whether the departure of the team boss has consequences for his future.

Verstappen gave a clear answer to that question: “No, it doesn't really.”

He then talked about how hard the last year and a half has been: “Now, I think people can have a difference of opinion here and there, and I actually expect that to happen because if everyone always agrees there is a problem. You need to have different opinions. That's now something that we work a bit in a different direction.”

Horner's departure has no effect on Verstappen's future

“I'm excited about it. Like you said, I don't think it will matter at all for my decision in the future. The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really. And like I said in the last one and a half years, it's not been what we want it to be. Now we try and be more competitive this year a little bit, but for sure also for the new regulations,” Verstappen said.

Does Verstappen prefer to stay at Red Bull?

Verstappen then answered the question of whether there was a chance he would drive for Mercedes next season. The Dutchman had a humorous answer to this: “There is also a possibility I don't wake up tomorrow.”

The Red Bull Racing driver continued: “So then there is no driving at all. So, life is unpredictable. But in general I'm very happy where I'm at and I hope… And that was still the target that we set out when we signed a new deal that I would drive here until the end of my career.”

A decision has not yet been made. Verstappen wants to see an improvement in performance for 2026. If this doesn't happen, the Dutchman still might decide to leave, as reported by GPblog earlier.