Max Verstappen’s manager gives the biggest clue yet about his future with Red Bull
Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, might have given us a clue about whether we’ll see the Dutch star leave Red Bull anytime soon.
For more than a year, one of the biggest stories in Formula One has been all about Verstappen’s future. The four-time champion has often been linked with a big switch to Mercedes. There were even talks that he might retire early because he’s not happy with the current rules.
Those rumors quieted down a bit after the season started, but with Red Bull having a slow start to 2026, talk about Verstappen moving to another team is picking up again. After seven races, Max is seventh in the driver standings, with just one podium finish at the Canadian Grand Prix. He’s 101 points behind the leader, Kimi Antonelli.
There’s also been talk about Verstappen’s contract having an exit clause that lets him leave if he finishes lower than second by the end of the season. Right now, he’s 60 points behind second place Lewis Hamilton.
Vermeulen told German paper Bild that their contract runs until 2028, and while there are exit options, they’ve never used one before. He also shared that they hope Max will stay loyal and finish his career with Red Bull, as long as he can keep winning.
This update came after Verstappen and his team met with Red Bull bosses before the Barcelona Grand Prix. Some of Red Bull’s top people were there, like co-owners Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yoovidhya, and CEO Oliver Mintzlaff.
But with rumors that Mercedes has already made an offer, Red Bull might need to act fast to keep Verstappen, whose current contract ends in 2028.
Vermeulen said, “We’d like to make a decision soon so everyone knows what’s happening. It could happen before the summer break.”
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher added that Mercedes’ offer was low, and their boss, Toto Wolff, seems happy with their current young star, Kimi Antonelli.