Why Verstappen can leave Red Bull Racing despite having a contract

On Wednesday, it was revealed that Red Bull Racing would not stand in the way if Max Verstappen decides to leave the team. The Verstappen camp is currently waiting peacefully for a decision, but if the decision is to leave, they do not necessarily have to meet the exit clause to be able to do so.

Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull Racing until 2028, including several performance clauses. In the current situation, where Verstappen is third in the drivers' world championship standings, that clause, however, cannot be activated. Yet, both Mercedes and Verstappen have kept the door open for a switch.

And this cannot be seen apart from the dismissal of Christian Horner. Though the team principal publicly stated he did not want to keep anyone at the team against their will, few believe Horner would have let his star driver leave for Mercedes, and thus arch-rival Toto Wolff, without a fight.

The situation has changed since Horner's dismissal. The power now lies with Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko. Two men the Verstappen camp maintains a good relationship with. Especially, of course, with the latter, as Marko was the man who brought Verstappen into F1 and ultimately to Red Bull Racing. Not Horner.

Conversely, Verstappen has also meant a lot for Marko. Especially in recent years, where Horner repeatedly tried to get Marko out of Red Bull, Verstappen intervened time and time again to prevent this from happening. The power struggle that has been waged since the death of Dietrich Mateschitz has, therefore, been ‘won’ by Marko.

However, that doesn't change the fact that Red Bull will realise that things aren't looking good for 2026. Since the departure of Adrian Newey, the technical team has been unable to make steps forward, and there are too many question marks about the engine project. No one knows how the circumstances will be for 2026, but the chance that Red Bull comes out on top does not seem particularly high.

It seems to be an ideal moment for Red Bull to start afresh with a new project. A new cycle, as Christian Horner called it in Silverstone. And a new cycle does not fit a four-time world champion who wants to win now and not in four or five years.

This approach, to begin anew and look for young talent, is what fits Red Bull. In football, Red Bull employs a similar approach, where the big stars are always sold to the big teams. At Red Bull, they have already made a choice with appointing Laurent Mekies as the new team principal; if Verstappen wants to leave, they can do the same with the lineup of drivers.