Several Max Verstappen reports are giving us a better idea, while McLaren rumors keep going.
Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull is still a big topic, with lots of talk about a possible move to McLaren making the news.
Verstappen looked set to earn his third straight podium of 2026 at the British Grand Prix on Sunday, but he spun off into the gravel with five laps to go.
The four-time world champion has been frustrated by power problems during qualifying and the sprint race on Saturday, even saying to reporters that the issues are “very dangerous” and that he’s starting to feel “fed up” with them.
“When it happens once, okay — mistakes happen. But twice, it gets really dangerous because you can get hurt at these high-speed corners,” the Dutch driver said after Charles Leclerc won the British Grand Prix for Ferrari.
“I was lucky in Austria, lucky here, but that’s why I’m getting frustrated,” he added.
At 28 years old and currently seventh in the Drivers’ Championship, Verstappen’s frustration with Red Bull is growing, and naturally, rumors about him leaving have taken over the headlines.
There’s been speculation about a big switch to McLaren after this season, possibly with Oscar Piastri moving to Red Bull. BBC Sport explained that Verstappen might want to leave mainly because he’s unhappy with how the team is performing, not because of any clever plan behind his angry radio messages.
It’s well known that Verstappen has a clause in his contract that lets him leave if he’s not in the top two by the summer break. Since he’s now 103 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli and 78 points behind second-place George Russell, being in the top two looks impossible, which makes talks about his future even louder.
Still, journalist Mat Coch says the rumors about Piastri leaving McLaren are mostly just “hot air” right now.
“Lots of rumors about Oscar Piastri leaving McLaren. I spoke to the team and several sources yesterday, and it all seems like hype. Maybe something will happen later, but right now it looks like much ado about nothing,” he wrote on X.
McLaren’s CEO Zac Brown has already said a Verstappen-Piastri swap isn’t happening, but Verstappen has thought about changing teams before. Last year, after finishing second to Lando Norris, he considered joining Mercedes but stayed with Red Bull for another season.
With his problems getting worse, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before he makes a decision.
Usually, drivers talk about their futures during the summer break, which is coming up soon. After the Belgian Grand Prix on July 19 and the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26, F1 will pause for three weeks before the Dutch Grand Prix on August 23.
That break could be when Verstappen decides what’s next for him, and a move to McLaren seems like the most likely option.