Jos Verstappen addresses Max’s future in first reaction to Lambiase’s departure

On Thursday, April 9, the Formula 1 world was gripped by the transfer of Lambiase, which will take place in due course. The Brit still has a contract with Red Bull Racing until the end of 2027 and will then move to McLaren. Immediately, people wondered what that meant for Verstappen’s own future, and whether he might have already made up his mind.

“We’ve known for a while, and we also knew when it would happen,” Verstappen Sr. told RaceXpress.

After winning his first title, Verstappen said he would quit if Lambiase quit. “I think things have changed,” says the former F1 driver. “Certainly after four championships, you’ve achieved a lot together. The latter is up to Max, but I think he’ll just continue.”

As Verstappen himself indicated after the Japanese Grand Prix, he needs to think carefully about his future in F1, mainly due to the regulations. The Dutchman no longer fully enjoys the driving and has more fun at the Nurburgring in a GT3 car. “It’s crazy that GT3 is nicer to race than Formula 1,” Verstappen Sr. said.

“It used to be the other way around. All those GT3 guys were desperate to feel what it’s like in Formula 1, but nowadays that’s hard to find,” he added.

The 54-year-old now sees Formula 1 more as an engineering contest, “where the driver has to lift a lot and where they can no longer make the difference as a driver.

It’s clear that Verstappen is considering what he should do. Although outwardly it’s said that Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull running until the end of 2028 and the situation is being monitored, GPblog is receiving indications that his future with the Austrian team is becoming increasingly clear.

Continuing at Red Bull Racing appears to be an option that ranks clearly below several other possibilities, according to this website. Around Verstappen, the feeling is growing stronger that the four-time world champion will indeed quit Formula 1. If he does continue, Mercedes and Ferrari are the main options.