Max Verstappen has just won his fourth consecutive world championship with Red Bull – but that hasn’t stopped his future at the team coming under speculation.
The 27-year-old is contracted to remain at the team until the end of 2028. However, he wouldn’t be the first driver to leave a team early, and his domination of much of the last four years would make him a target for any team.One particular rival of Red Bull’s stands out as a potential future destination. Reports during the off-season claimed Aston Martin intend to make a bid for Verstappen’s services.
On paper, the move makes a lot of sense. Aston Martin’s lead driver, Fernando Alonso, turns 44 this year, and has admitted he may not have more seasons left in him.
Aston Martin has also lured the individual regarded as the architect of Red Bull’s success stretching back long before Verstappen’s arrival – its former chief technical officer Adrian Newey. He is the crowning achievement of team owner Lawrence Stroll’s money-no-object pursuit of championship success, which includes a swathe of other hires from major teams, plus the construction of state-of-the-art new facilities including a wind tunnel and driver-in-the-loop simulator.
Stroll’s pockets are deep enough to afford Verstappen. The four-times champion is unlikely to be troubled by the prospect of going up against Lance Stroll, who looks likely to remain a fixture at the team as long as his father runs the team.
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While Aston Martin is drawing top talent to them, Red Bull has lost many top names in recent years besides Newey. They are also embarking on an ambitious programme to build their own F1 power unit. Verstappen knows from his early years at the team the frustration of having an uncompetitive engine and he may be unwilling to risk a repeat.
Following his latest championship triumph Verstappen said it would be “an amazing story if basically I did my whole F1 career with one team.” He has, of course, already driven for two teams, though both were owned by Red Bull. Will he remain with the team who brought him into F1 a decade ago?
Verstappen has often indicated he does not intend to extend his career as long as the likes of Alonso and former championship rival Lewis Hamilton, both of whom have kept racing into their forties.
For many years it seemed unlikely Hamilton would ever drive a car powered by anything other than a Mercedes engine, but he is embarking on his first season at Ferrari. Will we ever see Verstappen in the overalls of an F1 team not run by Red Bull?
You say
Do you think Verstappen will race for an F1 team other than Red Bull and their junior squad? Cast your vote below and have your say in the comments.
Will Max Verstappen ever race for a Formula 1 team not owned by Red Bull?
- No opinion (5%)
- Very unlikely (3%)
- Not likely (11%)
- Unsure (8%)
- Likely (40%)
- Very likely (33%)
Total Voters: 63
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Davethechicken
16th February 2025, 8:51
Max would only leave RB if he had a stipulation for a patsy teammate.
I predict he will retire before having any of the current best talent as a teammate.
You will never see him do like LH has just done and go up against a Russell or Leclerc.
El Pollo Loco
16th February 2025, 8:56
Oh please.
Ideals (@ideals)
16th February 2025, 8:59
Verstappen already did a season against Sainz with way less experience and a huge age gap. I wonder how that went?
Anyone that thinks Verstappen is scared of anyone on the grid at this point is just deluding themselves.
anon
16th February 2025, 9:37
@ideals we have also had statements from Marko and Horner that they did not want a replacement driver for 2025 that would be too close in performance to Verstappen because it would result in conflict between the drivers and forcing the team to split it’s resources between them. That was then used to justify rejecting Sainz, whilst Lawson was hired on the grounds that he would agree to being a second driver to Verstappen.
El Pollo Loco
16th February 2025, 12:24
I don’t think anyone is arguing that RBR hasn’t intentionally given Max weak teammates to keep him comfortable or the fact that Max has intentionally blocked possibly challenging teammates from joining the team, but that means he’s just being savvy rather than him being afraid of a challenge. Why would a driver want another top driver in the second seat taking resource and focus off them? Max is doing what every great driver ever has done: trying to mold the team around himself and not trying to give himself added problems. Just like Schumacher, Prost, Alonso, Vettel (Kimi was kept alongside for so long because of Vettel), Hamilton (who kept lobbying to keep Bottas) and so on.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
16th February 2025, 14:18
Prost suggested senna as mclaren team mate, so he can’t be in that list!
anon
16th February 2025, 15:26
@esploratore1 asides from Senna, Prost had two other WDC winning drivers in the form of Lauda and Rosberg.
In the case of Lauda, Prost has said that Lauda initially had No.1 status at McLaren, although that was more in terms of getting priority for testing and for receiving upgrades to his car (although Prost said that he also didn’t object to that). In the end, the way that Prost upstaged Lauda in 1985 ended up being one of the main reasons for Lauda going into retirement.
With Rosberg, it seems that, whilst there was initially some tension between himself and Rosberg, mainly because it seems the latter was rather determined to assert himself over Prost, in the end they seem to have got on relatively well.
Davethechicken
16th February 2025, 15:42
El Pollo, seems that you don’t disagree with my statement then?
Pusslicker (@pusslicker69)
16th February 2025, 23:27
In addition to Senna, Rosberg and Lauda, Prost also had 2 future world champions as his teammates in Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell.
El Pollo Loco
17th February 2025, 6:22
@davethechicken – I don’t agree with the core of your post (I.E., you say he’s afraid of competition and tacitly imply that none of his rivals have done the same thing). You single out Hamilton who, when he was in the position Max is in now, sought to retain a less competitive teammate. He’s switching to Ferrari for a better car and because it’s Ferrari. Not because he wants the best teammate possible.
El Pollo Loco
17th February 2025, 6:24
@esplorate1 Prost doesn’t deserve to be on that list, except in one way: after being teammates with Senna, he never wanted to go through that drama again. It’s why he retired from Williams after winning the WDC.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
16th February 2025, 22:06
If memory serves Marko had to effectively run the team in Max’s favor to keep Sainz from upsetting the apple cart.
El Pollo Loco
16th February 2025, 8:55
This is why it makes me laugh when people keep saying he’ll be at x or y team in 2026. He’s said time and again he intends to see out his contract with RBR through 2028, but the media seems to intentionally act like he’s a free agent after 2025 because they know this story gets clicks no matter how many times it’s recycled without a single bit of any new news.
Ideals (@ideals)
16th February 2025, 9:03
Things change. Teams change. Red Bull has already lost many of the main people that made up the team Max said he’d be with forever in 2021 while on a championship high. Wheatley is gone. Mateschitz passed away. Newey has moved on. Marko will inevitably leave in probably the near future.
Of course Max isn’t going to tell the media that he has several escape clauses, some apparently linked to certain personnel being there, and that he will invoke one of them if a better offer comes along or the 2026 RBPT engine turns out to be a dud or whatever. Why would he?
El Pollo Loco
16th February 2025, 9:27
I’m not saying he will or even wants to stay. RBR has obviously been denuded and I don’t expect him to see him at RBR past 2028, but until he says or even just hints he’s looking to leave early or there’s some other concrete development, we’re just speculating in circles.
Coventry Climax
16th February 2025, 12:49
Exactly.
Craig
16th February 2025, 11:03
Plenty of drivers have said they’d see out their contract with X and then leave for one reason or another. Personally, I think Verstappen is more likely to just leave F1 then go to another team.
El Pollo Loco
16th February 2025, 12:27
Indeed. But since he hasn’t even implied as much yet and there have been no more developments to change anything since the end of last season, what’s the point in rehashing this topic yet again?
Riccard
16th February 2025, 9:18
Max is young. It’s perfectly possible that 5 years from now, Red Bull have the 4th or 5th fastest cars, and he jumps ship.
If Max races till he’s 40, I think he will probably change teams in that time, simply because it’s long enough for a lot of things to happen.
There’s a chance he leaves F1 altogether before then looking for new challenges… that might be the most likely way for his career to end with Red Bull.
He’s clearly thought about it at times; perhaps he could even leave after a blazing row with Ben Sulayem. But in the end this role is fairly perfect for him, and seasons like last year where his car isn’t fastest will keep things interesting.
TL:DR – I suspect he’ll stay in the sport long enough to race for someone else one day.
Jere (@jerejj)
16th February 2025, 9:51
I think ‘likely’ is the most fitting option, but a possible team change is largely dependent on whether he’s motivated to continue in F1 beyond 2028 or not.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
16th February 2025, 10:10
Red Bull being only 4th or 5th could happen sooner than Riccard says. Whether it’s because Red Bull lost Newey, or Ford v Ferrari (and Mercedes and all the others), Max doesn’t seem to me someone who’ll stick around for a few wins each year on strategy and killer instinct alone.
Follow The Newey isn’t a bad career plan. David Coulthard did well out of it. And maybe the penny will drop that Stroll should sign up these multiple world champions while they’re in their prime.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
16th February 2025, 10:20
I’d say it’ll happen sooner than later.
I expect this years car to be a bit of a dog given the changes in personnel and I doubt he’ll spend more than 1 season in an uncompetitive car.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
16th February 2025, 11:01
Haven’t got a clue and no interest in speculating. So no opinion.
asz
16th February 2025, 16:06
I also want to inform the world that I have no idea and no opinion.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
17th February 2025, 0:58
@asz
I refuse to engage in an intellectual battle with an unarmed man.
Curtiss (@mohammedbeenslammin)
16th February 2025, 11:23
I expect Red Bull to drop to the midfield or worse once they mount the Ford powertrain. Max is going to be disgruntled and leaves in 2027 or 2028. Goes endurance racing for a while and eventually comes back. Even next year will be tough for him in a car that I expect will be barely fighting for podiums.
Davethechicken
16th February 2025, 11:35
Not sure you are correct there @ideals.
Firstly Sainz and Verstappen first F1 race was at exactly the same time. Max did not have less F1 experience.
Secondly they were “very evenly matched” at TR to quote Helmut himself.
Thirdly Sainz, decent as he is, is not really in the top tier of current drivers.
Lastly the old adage “actions speak louder than words” springs to mind. He is quite unique in never facing a top tier teammate despite being in the best car for several seasons. He will be in his 11th F1 season this year.
Robbie1
16th February 2025, 12:32
Max was on his second season of single seater formula, Sainz in his sixth.
Sainz had experience with Pirelli and the qualifying format, Max not.
Sainz was 21, Max 17.
Max beat Carlos 48-12.
He is 100% right and you’re clutching at straws.
anon
16th February 2025, 13:48
Robbie1, Verstappen’s date of birth is the 1st Sep 1997 and Sainz the 30th Sep 1994, so the former was born slightly less than three years later. Why are you trying to claim that Verstappen is four years younger when that is, quite plainly, wrong?
MacLeod (@macleod)
17th February 2025, 7:55
@anon I think he is calculating from a month which could be “4 ” year difference. Better is to say 3+ then you have the months correct too.
But the fact is Sainz had much more experience in single open wheel racing as he went F4-F2 and Max went from F3 to F1. I think that is what he means.
anon
17th February 2025, 14:06
There is slightly over 35 months between the two dates, so that argument doesn’t work – that poster is posting information that is just plainly wrong.
El Pollo Loco
17th February 2025, 22:36
35 months at those ages = a big difference. Just like a 17yo dating a 14yo girl is not considered acceptable in civilized countries. The even bigger difference was their experience level. Karting and junior formula isn’t the same thing.
It’s like saying there’s not much of a difference between Lindblad and Bearman at this point or Antonelli and Piastri. There’s a world of difference. Sainz should have handily beaten Max given both the experience and age difference.
Davethechicken
16th February 2025, 15:37
Robbie, I am afraid your argument seems tentative. Max was racing single seaters since age 4 or 5. Go karts are classed as open wheel single seat racing.
The format of qualify is a bizarre argument to say the least I really can’t see any relevance in that.
As for Pirelli tyres, F1 tyres are bespoke to the series and not used in other categories. They have physically different dimensions.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
17th February 2025, 3:48
Verstappen in his 11th season? Damn, how time flies!
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
16th February 2025, 12:25
It will be over this season when Lawson destroys him.
El Pollo Loco
16th February 2025, 12:29
Yeah, I can’t see Max being able to keep up with Lawson. Max’s spirit will probably be broken by Liam’s raw speed by the summer break.
fawkes
16th February 2025, 12:26
Max doesn’t seem to have the same motivation for F1 that Hamilton and Alonso have. He also doesn’t seem to have this need to prove himself against the best out there in the same car, he’s happy having a second tier driver alongside him, much like Senna, Alonso and Schumi always did.
I can see he leaving in a few years to try Le Mans and even GT3s, it is what he likes the most based on iracing. 2026 is definitely the key year, not only because of the RBR performance with its own engine, but also because of next gen cars and their probably wacky driveability compared to nowadays machinery.
Only Facts!
16th February 2025, 12:46
2021 – Max and Honda won
2022 – Newey’s design won
2023 – Newey’s refinement dominated
2024 – Max won fighting the car
2025 – 2 MCL and 2 Ferrari X 1 RBR
2026 – No Honda no Newey, new car
2027 – If PU lacks, no contract talks
2028 – Maybe, Maybe
So, for the next four years, it’s only downhill for RBR and VER.
Things will clear as soon as the RBP Ford PU gets its first runs. If it doesn’t deliver, Horner will not hold Verstappen hostage, as it may worsen the outcome. A lucrative deal with Stroll releasing Verstappen earlier would be most beneficial.
But if RBP delivers on their first PU right away (history says otherwise), I won’t dare making any crystal ball reading.
Edvaldo
16th February 2025, 13:34
I hope he doesnt follow Newey. It would be a weak move.
He already did it with Newey, 4 times. Then Newey leaves and he follows? It would give the impression he’s the one who needs Newey to suceed.
If he intends to retire with red bull he has a good opportunity in his hands to bring them back from whatever hole they’re getting in with this Ford deal, win again and leave them in a good place for the era after his.
Craig
16th February 2025, 15:21
If Red Bull is falling into a hole I don’t think Verstappen could get them out. Turning a team around is about more then just the driver, Schumacher working with Todt and Brawn to turn Ferrari around while Hamilton was more “the last piece of the puzzle” to complete and sustain Mercedes’ rise as they were already on their way up.
Peter707
16th February 2025, 19:58
Just as Lewis said in 2008 he wants to spend his whole career at McLaren.
El Pollo Loco
17th February 2025, 6:27
Drivers tend to say that sort of thing when they’re given a winning car.
BasCB (@bascb)
17th February 2025, 9:30
That pretty much sums it up yeah. I am sure Max would like Red Bull to give him the best car in the field for many more years, and if they do, there is no good reason to change teams. If/when they won’t be able to do this, then there is far less reason to stay, Max has nothing like nostalgia or pink glasses for his team (it’s not the same as drivers dreaming of once getting into Ferrari red), so why would he NOT leave if other teams offer better possibilities.
Off course he could just stop racing F1 if he feels like it, but that’s a different story then.
BMW P85 V10
17th February 2025, 20:23
Max also said it recently, when he already knew his was ’24 car was not the best and sometimes not even the second best.
So he had no winning car when he said so.
El Pollo Loco
17th February 2025, 22:43
Yeah, you don’t immediately throw your team under the bus if you’re hoping to keep things stable and the staff motivated. But it does show why this entire story snd revolving speculation is silly. There will be 20+ more headline speculating if Max is going here or there before the first race or even a single important development. We might as well speculate every other day if Lewis is about to retire at the end of the season before it even starts. It’s equally nonsensical.
An Sionnach
16th February 2025, 22:14
I think Max wants to stay at Red Bull. They have to be competitive, however. It would be a shame for him to remain with the team if they are not good enough to deserve him. Max is a rare talent – surely the greatest since Schumacher. Drivers like Max, Schumacher, Prost, Lauda, Clark and Fangio should not be driving around collecting occasional points. It would be a terrible waste of talent and a tragedy even for their competitors.
As others have said, whether he remains with Red Bull should depend more on how long he remains in the sport.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
17th February 2025, 3:39
This also goes for alonso, who’s imo at a similarly high level as some you mentioned and spent most of his career in uncompetitive cars.
El Pollo Loco
17th February 2025, 6:32
I know you rate Schumacher at the top of the top, but we have to remember that until Alonso showed up, he’d been driving against an extremely weak field. 1993 was the only year in the ’90s he was competing with a strong field. I consider him one of the GOATs, but not above drivers like Alonso and Hamilton.
Peter707
17th February 2025, 15:49
I agree. Actually, Max is also driving against a weak field. The former champions are either old or retired, while the younger talents haven’t really proven themselves (yet).
In terms of driving skills, I don’t think Schumi and Max are really above Alonso or Hamilton, their apparently superhuman level is partly an illusion due to being the only very strong driver in a weak field, paired with a weak teammate.
El Pollo Loco
17th February 2025, 22:52
I don’t agree Max is driving against a weak field, but I do agree he never drove against the only two proven greats in the field at the top of their game except for maybe 2021 (Lewis was still young to be considered in his prime). You can’t compare Damon Hill to Leclerc. Leclerc, Russell and even Norris easily win more titles in the Williams he and JV were given and win more titles in the cars Mika and DC had. The fact that Damon Hill, JV and Mika Hakkinen were the best drivers he faced during the majority of his career are what make it a weak field. Then he got an inexperienced Raikkonen in a car that broke down half the time and a self-destructive JPM for a challenge when he was in a dominant car.
Peter707
18th February 2025, 2:48
I think the current field is relatively weak, not comparable to any season in the 2010s (although definitely stronger than the mid-90s). I’m not that much impressed with Leclerc and even less with Norris. On a scale where 5 is an okay-ish midfield driver and 10 is the very top league (9 is almost the top e.g. Vettel at his best), I’d rate Leclerc 8 and Norris 7. They are still too much like at their debut, the quick young talents with quite a few mistakes. Many seasons have passed since then, but the mistakes are still there. I don’t really see the signs of transforming into mature consistent drivers with a varied and robust skill set.
Coventry Climax
17th February 2025, 9:26
The whole non-story sillyness starts with
it would be “an amazing story if basically I did my whole F1 career with one team.”
plus
‘I’m -likely- not gonna race until my forties’
adding up to
‘Verstappen says he’s keen to finish his career at Red Bull’
El Pollo Loco
17th February 2025, 23:08
So, that said, Max to Aston in 2026? We’ll of course ignore Alonso having a contract, Lance being one of the greatest drivers in history + his dad owning the team.
And voila you’ve got 20% of F1 articles! These guys work really hard.
Leo B
18th February 2025, 12:08
Verstappen at Ferrari to give Lewis hell would be nice!
Postreader
18th February 2025, 14:09
Vettel also looked eternal on RBR after 2013.