Max Verstappen is in the final steps of a big F1 deal after the exit clause was blocked, a report says.
Max Verstappen is reportedly close to making what could be the biggest switch in Formula One history. The 2026 F1 season is well underway, and with just two races left before the summer break, fans are already thinking about next year.
As usual, the summer break brings lots of rumors about big driver moves, especially since many contracts end after the season. The biggest story right now is probably what four-time champion Verstappen will do next. Lately, he’s been linked to leaving Red Bull or even retiring.
Verstappen is signed with Red Bull until 2028, but there’s a special clause in his contract that lets him join another team in 2027 if he’s not in the top two in the Drivers’ Championship by the summer break. After crashing out again at the British Grand Prix, it’s now clear Verstappen won’t be in the top two by then—he’s currently seventh with only two races left.
Now, it looks like McLaren might be the team to use that exit clause. According to PlanetF1, sources say Verstappen is close to finishing talks about making the move. This follows reports that Verstappen refused an offer from Red Bull in June to buy out his escape clause.
This refusal has reportedly caused some tension between Verstappen and Red Bull’s senior team members, who feel he owes them more loyalty given his time and salary at the team. On the other hand, Verstappen is thought to have lost confidence in Red Bull overall.
A big reason behind this might be the departure of key people from Red Bull, especially Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, who is leaving to join McLaren. This change is said to have influenced Verstappen’s thinking.
If Verstappen joins McLaren, it’s likely he would take the seat currently held by Oscar Piastri, since Lando Norris has secured his spot by winning the 2025 championship. Speaking about the rumors last weekend, Piastri said, “For me, it doesn’t mean much. Max is the talent he is, and I’m happy where I am. I’ve been told the team is happy with me, and I trust them. I’m just focused on building my success.”
Still, it’s believed that Verstappen’s talks with McLaren about replacing Piastri have moved forward a lot, and a three-year deal could be “imminent.” There’s even talk that Red Bull might announce a new driver soon, possibly to fill Verstappen’s seat.
Many think that if Verstappen goes to McLaren, Piastri could move to Red Bull in a direct swap. Rumors about Verstappen joining McLaren have been around for weeks, but when asked during the British Grand Prix, McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown didn’t really confirm anything.
He said, “I haven’t thought about that because I have two drivers already. I couldn’t offer Max a seat right now. But McLaren is an awesome team — so are Red Bull, Alpine, and Ferrari. All F1 teams are amazing. We’ve got a great team at McLaren, and it’s a good place to work for anyone.”
Even with Brown’s words, the Verstappen-to-McLaren rumors aren’t fading. With the summer break coming up fast, we might soon find out the truth about this huge potential move.