F1 champion Max Verstappen confirms major 2026 decision

verstappen, austria, red bull — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen confirms major 2026 decision

Max Verstappen's F1 future has been a hot topic

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 4 July 2025 19:55 Updated: 20:06

Max Verstappen has confirmed his plans for 2026 after questions were raised over his F1 future heading into the British Grand Prix.

Toto Wolff and George Russell confirmed Mercedes' interest in Verstappen at the Austrian GP, where they claimed conversations had taken place about a potential switch.

F1 HEADLINES: Lewis Hamilton doomed by 'six months of darkness' as Brit reveals Red Bull regret

Article continues under video

Verstappen was forced to confront these rumours on Thursday’s media day at Silverstone, alongside queries over a sabbatical in 2026 which he would use to assess the competitiveness of the field.

When this question was posed to Verstappen, the champion delivered a decisive response which confirmed his future in F1.

"No, no, I'm definitely going to do F1," Verstappen said to the media including GPFans at the British GP.

Verstappen was further probed about 2026 and whether he had enjoyed a taste of the new regulations in the simulator.

"Not me personally, but of course the team has. The other drivers and I get feedback from that. But I haven't driven it much myself," he added.

Verstappen was forced to confront F1 switch rumours at Silverstone

Verstappen silences 2026 F1 switch rumours

Red Bull’s poor performance in 2025 has dealt a severe blow to Verstappen's championship chances, and after a point-less excursion in Austria, the champion dipped further out of title contention and 61 points behind Oscar Piastri in the standings.

While Verstappen’s current contract expires in 2028, some reports suggest that the 27-year-old can trigger an early release in his contract if he falls out of the top four in the championship - although reports vary on this threshold.

When asked about Red Bull’s pace in Austria and whether it was the worst Red Bull had been, Verstappen continued: "That's Formula 1. If everyone knew exactly what to do [in terms of development], then everyone would win races or at least get that chance. In Formula 1, unfortunately that is not the case, it is a complicated sport.

"Of course we are not where we want to be, but we are still fighting for podiums. It could also be much worse. It's not like we are lying last."

F1 RESULTS: Lewis Hamilton shines at Silverstone as Ferrari launch stunning comeback at British Grand Prix

F1 Max Verstappen Mercedes George Russell Toto Wolff