F1 News: Max Verstappen delivers clear verdict on Ferrari move

Weersverwachting GP Singapore: extreme hitte en onweersbuien — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen delivers brutal Ferrari verdict as he questions F1 transfer

Not everybody dreams of moving to Maranello

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Wednesday 7 October 2026 19:45

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Max Verstappen is just built different - he might be the only driver in the F1 paddock who does not dream of one day racing for Ferrari.

The 29-year-old Dutchman is widely acclaimed as the best driver on the grid in 2026 and he has four world titles already in his back pocket.

Verstappen's future was the subject of much speculation this summer when a release clause became active in his Red Bull contract. He could have left for another team, but instead decided to sign a massive extension through to 2030.

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While Verstappen did hold talks about a potential switch to McLaren, and has long been linked with Mercedes, wouldn't Ferrari be the obvious move for him one day?

While not even Lewis Hamilton could resist the lure of Maranello, wearing red and driving for the tifosi is not something Verstappen lies awake at night thinking about.

Lewis Hamilton could not resist the lure of Maranello.

Verstappen wants to win, so Ferrari are out (ouch)

He gave a brutally honest verdict on the subject during an interview with The Press Assocation, a verdict which should make everybody at Maranello wince.

“I only want to win,” he said.

“I am not a nostalgic type. Do I have a lot of respect for the (Ferrari) brand? Absolutely.

"But if that means you then commit yourself, and you are driving P5 or P6, what’s the point?

“I am very performance-driven, and I have won a lot with this team already. It is a second family at Red Bull, and the challenge of rebuilding is what’s driving me.”

It's no wonder Verstappen is not looking elsewhere right now - after a miserable start to 2026 he is all of a sudden right back at the right end of the grid.

After spending months hating on those awful new 2026 regulations ('Formula E on steroids', 'Mario Kart', choose your comparison) and struggling with a Red Bull car he often described as "undriveable", things are now looking very very different.

Verstappen claimed a terrific second place in Azerbaijan in late September and followed up by claiming his first race victory of 2026 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Now he will head to the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend as favourite to claim the 73rd Grand Prix win of his glorious career, and knowing his prospects for 2027 and beyond look very bright once again.

Family matters for Verstappen, not just racing

Verstappen does not seem like a man who lives, eats and sleeps F1. He plays hard when he is working, but he has a beautiful family at home in Monaco including a one-year-old baby. There are other things in life for the brilliant Dutchman.

“I have extended for a few more years, and then I will look again and say to myself, ‘Can I commit 100 per cent?’," he continued.

"And if not, or there are other fun things around that deserves more time, than maybe I don’t continue. I also want to spend more time at home and see the kids growing up.”

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Ferrari