Max Verstappen chats with rival F1 team after exit clause comes to light
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has been thinking a lot about what his future could look like after Red Bull, and now there are reports saying he’s started talks with a rival team about a surprising switch.
Max hasn’t felt completely happy at Red Bull for a while, and with a slow start to this season caused by a car that isn’t very competitive, rumors are flying that he might move on. Last year, it seemed like he was close to leaving Red Bull, especially after he was spotted meeting Mercedes boss Toto Wolff on his private yacht.
But then Red Bull’s management changed—Laurent Mekies took over from Christian Horner—and Max’s season picked up so much that he almost closed a 150-point gap to win his fifth world title.
This season, though, hasn’t gone well for Red Bull, and Max is thinking about leaving again. Even after the team apologized for a car failure in the Austrian Grand Prix that caused him to crash, Max has now talked with one of his toughest championship rivals about joining them next year.
When asked about Max’s future, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff did open up about the “silly season” rumors, but Mercedes doesn’t seem like an option for now. They’re happy with their team, led by young star Kimi Antonelli and reliable George Russell.
Right now, it looks like McLaren might be the front-runner to sign Max. Sky Sports said that Max’s team has already met with McLaren to discuss a possible move. Reporter Craig Slater shared, “There has been a meeting between Max’s management and McLaren’s, and it was started by Max’s side. McLaren isn’t doing great this year, but Max knows they can build a winning car.”
Red Bull is trying hard to keep their star driver, who’s signed with them until 2028. They even have a buy-out clause that Max could use. But his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, says no deal has been made. He said, “There have always been release clauses, but we’ve never used one. We’ve always been loyal and plan to stay that way. We want to keep going with Red Bull and have Max finish his career there—while still winning.”
If Max does move, it could mean either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri would have to leave McLaren. Red Bull is ready for that and has already found a potential replacement for Max if he goes.