Conjecture has been rife over the future of Max Verstappen and whether he might take a sabbatical from Formula 1 next season or else quit the sport altogether amid his dislike for the current regulations.
Rumours of a Verstappen exit from Red Bull Racing are nothing new. Last season, he was linked to a cross-grid switch to Mercedes as he had been the year before.
In 2025, I was fortunate enough to spend the season behind the scenes with the team to find a Verstappen wholly different to how he is occasionally publicly received.
Let’s start with his future. While admittedly not privy to his negotiations it was plain to see his loyalty to the team. Before founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s death, he told the Austrian billionaire his ambition was to see out his career with Red Bull – that remains the ideal ambition.
Verstappen wants to spend his career driving for Red Bull (Photo: Getty)
