Max Verstappen has been told that there are no realistic alternatives should he choose to walk away from Red Bull this year. With no available seats at any of the other leading Formula 1 teams, one former driver expects the Dutchman to stay where he is and hope for improvement, while also pushing for a financial bonus.
Contractual Options
Verstappen holds a Red Bull contract until 2028, but it contains exit clauses that he can activate if specific performance targets are not achieved. It is understood that, as he does not currently sit second or higher in the drivers' championship at the start of this summer break, he has until October to trigger a departure should he wish to.
Frustration and Performance Drop
For some time there has been a genuine threat that he might opt to walk away. Red Bull's performance relative to their rivals has declined significantly, and Verstappen has been thoroughly miserable behind the wheel of this new generation of F1 cars throughout the season. At the Hungaroring on Sunday, where he finished second, he spent the entire race voicing his frustration over how poorly his car handled.
However, despite having threatened to quit F1 earlier in the year, Verstappen now appears poised to remain on the grid for 2027 at least, following the FIA World Motor Sport Council's agreement to amend the engine regulations. Former F1 driver and current television pundit Christian Danner firmly believes it will be with Red Bull, given the absence of other realistic options.
Danner's Analysis
He told The Express, via OLBG: "I always said, 'No way he's going to leave', because where could he go? Is Ferrari going fire Lewis Hamilton? No, because he's in form, and finally they get what they paid for. And the same with Charles Leclerc. He's a part of the Ferrari mentality, so they're not going to fire him. There's no room for Max at Ferrari."
"McLaren: is Zak Brown going to fire Oscar Piastri? Well, maybe, but what is he going to create? He's going to create an infinite fight between Lando Norris and Max because Lando is not prepared to accept the fact that Max is faster. Max would go there and take the break the whole thing into pieces. Zak Brown is, don't forget, the manager of Lando, so I don't think so."
"Mercedes: absolutely identical thing. If Toto Wolff wants to continue winning championships, he's got Kimi Antonelli, his own product, and he's got George Russell who I think is eventually going to do an exceptionally good job. He's not going to be erratic, he's not going to be stupid. So, also, no room for Max, because imagine Kimi versus Max. It's going to tear the team apart."
"So where else can he go? He's going to stay where he is and hope for the better, ask for more money, which is also a nice little extra bonus, and that's it. Then we'll see from then on."
