F1 News: Max Verstappen lands in England as Red Bull exit rumours grow

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen lands in England as Red Bull exit rumours grow

Will he stay or will he go?

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Wednesday 8 July 2026 16:00

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Max Verstappen jetted into England on Wednesday morning as rumours about a possible Red Bull exit continue to grow.

The four-time F1 world champion has a contract through to 2028, but an exit clause regarding his championship position is about to become active later this month.

The clause stipulates that if Verstappen is outside the top two by the time of the summer break (after the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26) he can leave at the end of this season. That eventuality is now a mathematical certainty.

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Tensions between Verstappen and Red Bull are reaching boiling point - the team is reportedly angry at his failure to commit his long-term future to the team. Verstappen meanwhile is not happy with his 2026 car after crashing for the second consecutive weekend at Silverstone on Sunday.

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen vs Red Bull at 'boiling point' as Horner return terms set

Verstappen heading for Red Bull summit?

Amid all the speculation, Verstappen’s private jet arrived in England on Wednesday morning for a visit to Red Bull headquarters in Milton Keynes.

The Dutchman was seen smiling and chatting with staff as he arrived.

Checking in at the factory ☀️#F1 || #RedBullRacing pic.twitter.com/WQmvMkFXu8
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) July 8, 2026

McLaren rumours gathering pace

While Mercedes, who have the dominant car on the grid in 2026, have historically always appeared to be favourites to sign Verstappen, that is no longer the case.

In the last 10 days reports of talks with McLaren have been leaked, and in the last 24 hours those talks are believed to be progressing fast.

Verstappen is being strongly linked with a move to McLaren.

Red Bull want swift Verstappen decision

Red Bull of course are keen for Verstappen to make a swift decision on his future, but the Dutchman himself does not wish to be rushed into the biggest of his career so far.

There are of course other options for Verstappen aside from joining another team on the grid for 2027. He has openly spoken about retirement due to his dislike for the new cars thanks to those hated 2026 regulations.

Verstappen could also decide to use his exit clause to leave Red Bull and take a year out, with a sabbatical potentially giving him a greater suite of options to find a perfect landing spot in 2028.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren