Schumacher: 'Verstappen could already finalise that with Red Bull in Hungary'

15:23, 29 Jul

Updated: 15:45, 29 Jul

byNicole Mulder

Peace has returned to Red Bull Racing since Laurent Mekies took over from Christian Horner. According to Ralf Schumacher, this is exactly what Max Verstappen needed to make a decision about his future with the Austrian F1 team.

Since Mekies’s arrival as team principal, the atmosphere at Red Bull has noticeably improved. It's exactly this positive atmosphere that Verstappen values: a stable working environment, technical decisiveness, and a team that stands fully behind him. Schumacher also now believes it won’t be long before Verstappen re-commits to Red Bull.

‘Verstappen may finalise this week with Red Bull’

"Mekies has really stepped into the project, and I have a feeling that this has initiated a shift," Schumacher says in the German Sky Sports podcast Backstage Boxengasse podcast. "I even think it might be finalised this week or in Hungary. In my opinion, the direction has changed, and Max wants to stay with the Red Bull family." According to information from GPblog, Verstappen will make the decision after the GP of Hungary.

Schumacher understands the considerations of the four-time world champion "From his perspective, it makes sense to stay for at least another year. That doesn't mean he's committing until 2027, but it does mean he wants certainty. And at Red Bull, he knows: this team fully supports him and does everything for him."

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‘Wolff has not completely given up on Verstappen yet’

Verstappen previously stated that he wants to see progress on a technical level. If the atmosphere remains this way, however, it could be the deciding factor to stay with Red Bull certainly until 2026. "Those last doubts are still there - also with me, to be honest. Especially after that interview with Toto Wolff on ORF. He said it's not certain yet, but the goal is to move forward with Russell and Antonelli. He mentioned 90 to 95 percent certainty," Schumacher says.

This gives Verstappen room to increase the pressure a bit. "For both parties, it's beneficial," Schumacher says. "For Toto, it's a way to keep the pressure on and maybe saving some money. And Max can in the meantime try to negotiate something extra, for example in the technical area."