How Verstappen could set himself apart from Schumacher and Hamilton

He may well have four world titles, narrowly missing out on a fifth in 2025 to Lando Norris, who clearly had the much-better car over the course of the year.

Verstappen, 28, has made no secret of the the fact he has no desire to race in F1 for the long-term and has frequently spoken about focusing on what he does next.

As he embarks on another season with Red Bull Racing, this year could prove crucial in shaping his future. As the sport enters a new era with new technology and engines, and fuel, it’s a chance for teams that have been at the back in recent years to rediscover performance, while it is also a threat to the bigger teams who have run at the front of the pack.

For Red Bull Racing, it’s an especially big step. It’s the first time the Austrian outfit is entering a new regulation change without Adrian Newey at the helm. Under the leadership of the British genius, Verstappen won all his world titles. Since his departure, it remains to be seen whether Pierre Waché can follow in those footsteps and design a car capable of winning world titles.

An even greater challenge is the new engine. (At first) Honda withdrew from Formula 1, so Red Bull had to look for an alternative. Ultimately, they decided to develop their own power unit together with Ford. A hefty challenge. In fact, no engine manufacturer has ever managed to be immediately competitive.

Red Bull poached many bright minds from the competition, but whether that will be enough for a competitive engine will only become clear in 2026. Both Christian Horner and Laurent Mekies tried to temper expectations regarding the new 2026 power unit, which is expected to bring plenty of challenges.

Verstappen, too, must wait to see what Red Bull can bring to the track in 2026. He can test in the simulator, but drivers have no impact on the new cars. They have to work with what their team delivers and provide feedback from there.

Verstappen ultimately wants to drive the best car. He reiterated that in 2025 when discussing talks with Mercedes. A move didn’t materialise - at least yet. Hedging his bets seems a smart move by Verstappen, who now holds the cards for 2027. Widely regarded as the best driver on the grid, he can take his pick of any number of teams - or simply stay with Red Bull.

In this second phase of a sporting career, F1 icons often opt for a new impetus. Michael Schumacher chose Ferrari, and Lewis Hamilton chose Mercedes. A fresh push after a successful period with your first love. Being successful through multiple cycles with one team—no one has done that in Formula 1.

Of course, there are drivers who won multiple titles with one team, but never multiple dominant cycles within a single team. Those with the most titles in Formula 1 achieved them with different teams.

You often hear the argument that “the truly greats” can do it with different teams, but is that really so? Is it truly remarkable that Hamilton, after years of slogging at McLaren, suddenly had a competitive car at Mercedes? It might be even more impressive to pull it off multiple times with one team.

Normally, 2026 will be a learning year for Red Bull Racing. No one expects them to fight for the title straight away, given the aforementioned engine change. Still, the team will need to be close enough to give Verstappen the feeling that they can win in 2027 or 2028. Otherwise, the move to another team becomes more likely.

Sure, Verstappen is currently happy at Red Bull. He has been driving and working with this team for many years with great success. It’s a team where he is allowed much more freedom than at any other works team. Of course, given his status he would now also have more power to discuss terms at Ferrari or Mercedes, but whether he would truly have the same freedom as at the energy drink giant is very much the question.

At Red Bull, Verstappen will also never have to look over his shoulder. He is the number one—no one doubts that. And for anyone who says he blows everyone away: sure, that’s the expectation, but you still have to prove it in a new team against a driver who knows that team inside out. Many greats understimated that before they made the jump.

So, there’s a case to be made for both scenarios. Verstappen making the switch to Mercedes, Ferrari, or Aston Martin and succeeding there as well. Alternatively, he could embark on a new cycle with Red Bull Racing, becoming world champion  once again. Should he achieve the latter, it would set him apart from Schumacher and Hamilton, who were unable to dominate through two separate spells with two different teams.

Both scenarios would be extremely impressive, but one thing is certain: 2026 will determine which path it will be. If Red Bull is competitive, there’s a good chance Verstappen will simply stay. If Red Bull isn’t, doors at other teams will likely open for him to start a new project.