Max Verstappen’s future with Red Bull Racing beyond the 2026 Formula 1 season has become a central topic of discussion, with former F1 racer and television pundit Christian Danner expressing concerns over the Dutchman’s available alternatives. Verstappen is currently contracted with Red Bull until the conclusion of the 2028 season.
However, his contract includes performance-based exit clauses. While a clause for 2026, which would have allowed him to leave if outside the top three in the drivers’ championship after the Hungarian Grand Prix, was no longer activatable as of July 28, 2025, a separate clause for 2027 has now been triggered.
This 2027 clause permits Verstappen to depart if he is not within the top two positions in the drivers’ standings by the summer break of 2026. As of July 28, 2026, Verstappen holds sixth place in the championship, trailing Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli by over 100 points.
This activated clause grants Verstappen until October 2026 to make a definitive decision regarding his future. Despite this, his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, has stated that Verstappen intends to complete his current Red Bull contract.
Vermeulen emphasized that the existence of an exit clause does not automatically mean it will be invoked. Verstappen himself has maintained that there is ‘nothing going on’ concerning his contractual situation.
Red Bull has reportedly presented Verstappen with a new contract offer, proposing an extension until the end of the 2029 season. This new deal is said to include a salary increase but would remove the existing exit clauses.
The offer was reportedly made weeks ago, but Verstappen’s camp has yet to provide an official response. The ongoing speculation has been fueled in part by Verstappen’s expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the RB22 car.
He has highlighted the car’s tendency to lose performance over a Grand Prix weekend as a ‘big priority’ for the team to address. Verstappen also questioned whether the narrative surrounding high-level talent departures from Red Bull is ‘too dramatic’.
Christian Danner, however, suggests that Verstappen’s options for a move to another top team are limited. McLaren and Mercedes, for instance, appear to have their driver lineups secured for the 2027 season.
With no driver vacancies at any of the other top Formula 1 teams, one former racer expects the Dutchman to ‘stay where he is and hope for the better’, while also pushing to land ‘a nice little extra bonus’ on top.
Danner’s assessment indicates that Verstappen may find himself in a position where remaining with Red Bull is the most viable path, despite any frustrations with the current car or team dynamics.
The departure of Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, to McLaren was also noted as a factor contributing to the ongoing speculation about the four-time world champion’s future.
