Max Verstappen needs to leave Red Bull if he wants to achieve anything in F1

Verstappen, Red Bull, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen needs to leave Red Bull if he wants to achieve anything in F1

Max Verstappen suffered another dismal afternoon at the British Grand Prix

By Jan Bolscher.

Monday 6 July 2026 21:42

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Max Verstappen’s challenging weekend at Silverstone has once again strained his relationship with Red Bull Racing. It might be time for the four-time world champion to make a definitive decision and explore new opportunities.

Verstappen’s future with the Austrian outfit has long been under scrutiny. The issues at Red Bull persist, and the car’s performance remains less than impressive. Although the update package in Austria initially looked promising, the RB22’s pace was glaringly absent in Silverstone.

Moreover, the four-time champion suffered a crash late in the race - while running P3 - mirroring the incident during qualifying in Austria, both caused by mysterious rear-end problems.

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Team principal Laurent Mekies accepted responsibility once more, but one can’t help wondering if it’s time for Verstappen to start a new chapter. His loyalty to Red Bull Racing speaks volumes about his character, yet it is beginning to cost him dearly in the championship standings.

Tensions rise between Red Bull and Verstappen

Last year, Verstappen toyed with the idea of moving to Mercedes, though he ultimately pledged his allegiance to Red Bull for the 2026 season. Fast forward another year, and the problems seem more significant than ever.

While it’s difficult for an outsider to pinpoint exactly what is going wrong - and how quickly it can be resolved - the comments made by Verstappen this weekend were very telling.

After qualifying, he ran with a new engine for Sunday’s race, only to announce just before the start that his team wasn’t willing to back that decision. "You can’t ask me that," he told Sky Sports F1's Natalie Pinkham before the race. "I would have preferred to start from the pits because this isn’t working out for me."

Following his crash during the race, Verstappen stated he needed some time away from team discussions. The dutiful Dutchman fielded questions from the media before leaving the circuit, while Mekies was spotted in an intense conversation with Jos Verstappen.

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall during that exchange. With tensions mounting at Silverstone and the summer break approaching - the deadline by which Verstappen needs to decide his future post-2028 - it might be time for him to seriously consider his next move.

Calling on Mercedes?

It hardly seems likely that Red Bull will soon have everything in order. Even if they manage to iron out the RB22’s issues in record time, the performance gap with Ferrari and Mercedes is expected to remain significant.

Loyalty is dwindling too; after next season, Gianpiero Lambiase is set to leave for McLaren, and technical chief Paul Monaghan appears headed for Cadillac. We needn’t even mention the departures of other key figures before these changes.

If I were in Verstappen’s shoes, I’d urge Raymond Vermeulen to pull out all the stops to secure a spot at Mercedes next year. Of course, team boss Toto Wolff won’t easily let go of the 19-year-old championship leader Kimi Antonelli, but swapping George Russell for the four-time world champion would certainly catch his ear. Wolff would then have the best car, the brightest young talent, and arguably the top driver on the grid.

Verstappen to McLaren on the cards?

That said, a move to McLaren also seems increasingly plausible. CEO Zak Brown remains vague about any discussions with Verstappen’s camp, though it’s clear talks are underway.

A potential swap involving Oscar Piastri is being touted in the media as a very real possibility.

Thanks to his performance clause, Verstappen is free to leave Red Bull Racing, while Piastri could easily opt to terminate his contract if he sees a path to a leading role. Yet, at the moment, McLaren’s performance isn’t much better than that of the outfit from Milton Keynes.

In any case, I’d welcome Verstappen’s departure. Red Bull Racing did give him his chance in Formula 1 - a trust he has repaid handsomely with four world titles for both driver and constructor. But if he stays solely out of loyalty, he risks missing out on further championships.

Bad seasons are part of the sport, but when you’re one of the all-time great drivers, you shouldn’t cling indefinitely to a team that can’t seem to find its footing.

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Written by

Jan Bolscher - Senior Editor en Formule 1-verslaggever

Jan Bolscher (29) is een Nederlandse Formule 1-journalist, geaccrediteerd door zowel de Nederlandse Sport Pers (NSP) als de Formule 1. Hij heeft ruim zeven jaar ervaring in de Formule 1-journalistiek en doet verslag vanuit de Formule 1-paddock, waar hij de coureurs interviewt en een breed netwerk met de teams, de FIA en de Formule 1 heeft opgebouwd. Doordat hij in nauw contact staat met de persmanagers van de Formule 1-teams, de Forrmule 1 en de FIA, weet Jan als eerste rondgaande geruchten te ontkrachten of te bevestigen. Daarnaast draagt hij de titels Senior Editor en Brand Manager Assistent bij GPFans. In deze rollen vormt hij een leidende draad binnen de redactie.

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F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen British Grand Prix