Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has stated that it is `impossible to say 100 per cent` that Max Verstappen will continue driving for the team in 2026.
Reports from Sky Italy on Wednesday, ahead of this weekend`s British Grand Prix, indicated that discussions between Verstappen and Mercedes are becoming more intense, suggesting the Dutch driver might be open to a surprising move to the Silver Arrows.
The 27-year-old`s future has been a major topic of discussion in F1 over the past week, particularly after Mercedes figures George Russell and Toto Wolff confirmed having `conversations` with Verstappen, despite his current Red Bull contract running until 2028.
Horner commented to Sky Italy: “We have a great relationship with Max. Our agreement, which will remain confidential, is clear. If the current situation persists, he will definitely be with us next year.”
When asked further if he could be completely certain about Verstappen staying, Horner replied: “It`s impossible to say 100 per cent. Is it clear George Russell will 100 per cent be at Mercedes next year?”
Sky Sports News understands that Verstappen`s contract includes a performance clause allowing him to potentially leave Red Bull after this season if he is not among the top four drivers in the championship standings by the start of the summer break, following the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 3.
Verstappen is currently third in the standings, nine points ahead of Russell and 36 points clear of Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc. There are three races left before the summer break, with a maximum of 83 points available, including a Sprint weekend in Belgium.
For the first time publicly, Horner confirmed the existence of performance clauses in Verstappen`s contract.
“Driver contracts with teams are always confidential,” he said. “All driver contracts contain an element of a performance mechanism, and that exists within Max`s contract.”
“Absolutely, his intention is that he will be there and driving for us in 2026. It`s inevitable that he`s of huge interest to any other team in the pit lane.”
“George triggered all this speculation, probably trying to leverage his own situation and force clarity, which you can understand because he`s driven a very good season as well this year.”
“Inevitably, there will always be speculation about that. I think the most important thing is that clarity exists between Max and the team.”
Red Bull Feels Comfortable About Verstappen Situation
According to Sky Sports News, Mercedes has not made an official approach for Verstappen. He has been associated with the Red Bull structure since 2014, made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso in 2015, and joined the main Red Bull team in 2016, where he has won four world championships.
Horner emphasized: “What`s most important is the relationship between the driver and the team. There`s an agreement that defines that as well. Everybody`s very clear on where we`re at. Max has been with Red Bull since the very start of his career. All his success has come in Red Bull cars and he`s a big part of our team.”
“He has a great deal of faith in the team and the people around him. While there`s always going to be speculation and noise, I think we all sit fairly comfortable with where we`re at and what the situation is. We can`t control the narrative of others. Internally, we know where we`re at.”
Impact of 2026 Regulations and Red Bull`s Power Unit Project
2026 will introduce the biggest rule changes in F1 history, with a new car concept expected to alter the competitive landscape. It is widely anticipated that Mercedes will be highly competitive, given their dominance in the early turbo-hybrid era, the last time there was a major engine rule change.
Red Bull is developing its own power units in collaboration with Ford. Historically, it has been challenging for new engine manufacturers to be immediate front-runners, which adds to the speculation surrounding whether Verstappen would be content in such a scenario.
Horner concluded: “Things go in cycles and sport goes in cycles. We`ve had two incredibly successful cycles in Formula 1, and what we want to do is build towards the next cycle. Of course, we want that to be with Max, but we understand the pressure that there is next year, with us coming in as a new power unit manufacturer. The challenge of that is enormous.”
“But we`ve got a hugely capable group of people. We`ve invested significantly. We`ve got a great culture within the team. Who knows? To expect us to be ahead of Mercedes next year is… it would be embarrassing for Mercedes if we were, or for any manufacturer.”
“But I think we`re going to be in a competitive position, potentially even to where we are today relative to our other PU manufacturers. There`s everything to play for.”
“What`s great is having it all under one roof, chassis engineers sitting next to engine engineers. That shouldn`t be underestimated when you`re talking about the packaging. When you`ve got the ability to have those groups communicating and talking with each other directly over a cup of coffee and within the same facility, that is priceless, and that will pay dividends. Maybe it won`t be in `26, but `27, `28, and beyond, long term for Red Bull, 100 per cent it is the right thing.”
