Schumacher believes there is a 'major problem' if Verstappen stays with Red Bull

The future of the Dutchman in Formula 1 is still a hot topic, with the rumours swirling about whether he will stay with the Austrian team, or whether he will move on, with Mercedes being the heavily linked.

For now, the reigning world champion is contracted with the Austrian team until mid-2028. However, Schumacher sees a potential problem for the Dutchman, should he remain with Red Bull, in 2026, with the new regulations that will come into effect potentially shaking up the grid and the pecking order in its entirety.

It has not been the first time that Schumacher has mentioned that Verstappen's future may be elsewhere in the world of Formula 1.

But, because of the potential issues that Red Bull may have with the new regulations next season, according to the German, this could become a bottleneck for Verstappen at Red Bull, which he mentioned in Sky Sports Germany's Boxengasse-podcast.

“A major problem – although hard to judge – but rumours keep circulating in the paddock: the 2026 regulations. It's said that the Red Bull powertrain might not be as strong as Mercedes', and possibly not as strong as Honda's could be. And of course, that's something you also have to consider when looking towards the future as a driver,” the 49-year-old explained.

“The door seems not to be completely closed yet," continued Schumacher. "First, Max Verstappen obviously wants to keep the team behind him to the end, that's for sure.

"And wait,” Schumacher said in response to the question about Verstappen's future. “He has achieved all his successes with Red Bull; he owes a lot to Red Bull, and he's the type of person who, I think, would hold on until the end, if that's somehow possible.

"Yet, he now has to wait and see if it really continues like this in the upcoming races, because the development was somewhat stagnant and the car was partly difficult to drive,” concluded the German.