Max out or in at Red Bull?
The Dutchman hinted during The Pit Talk podcast at the Zandvoort race weekend that he expects an announcement from the four‐time world champion.
Verstappen’s future has been a hot topic in recent months, particularly as Red Bull performance still trails behind Mercedes and Ferrari.
This has left Verstappen yet to secure his first win of 2026, not to mention any serious title prospects. Although he is under contract until the end of 2028, he is now in a position to leave early by activating his exit clause.
Doornbos: ‘Verstappen stays with Red Bull’
Doornbos is convinced there won’t be any switch to either or McLaren and in particular Mercedes.
“He missed the boat. He has to stay with Red Bull; the options are off the table. I no longer see Mercedes pushing for Max as they once did in the past. They already have their next superstar in their own team,” he explained, referring to current points leader Kimi Antonelli.
However, recent rumours aren’t suggesting a move for the Italian but instead point to his team-mate, George Russell. The Englishman has so far struggled to match his team-mate’s pace.
“If George keeps underperforming or it keeps it becomes a problem, there will be another second driver that they can hire, and and you will not pursue for the four-time world champion.
“Marketing-wise, it will be fantastic, but sportive-wise, it will be a disaster to have those two guys in one team.”
Verstappen confirmation at Zandvoort
With few alternatives available for Verstappen, and with McLaren expressing satisfaction with their current driver lineup, Doornbos expects that Zandvoort will confirm that Verstappen is staying with Red Bull Racing. “Max Verstappen’s future is likely to be announced in Zandvoort,” he stated.
This announcement is a major milestone for Red Bull. “It’s hugely significant for the team to secure Max through 2028 with the contract he’s already signed.
“It’s only fair to make this clear to both the media and the team: I’m staying with Red Bull so that we can focus entirely on 2027.”
