Verstappen struggles with 2026 team dilemma

07:57, 24 Jul

Updated: 11:01, 24 Jul

bySandy van Wijngaarden

Max Verstappen believes that there is "a big question mark for everybody" regarding the choices made by the drivers on the grid for next season.

From 2026, the technical regulations will be completely overhauled, resulting in the perfect opportunity for drivers to make a change, possibly with a different team.

Recently, Verstappen has been frequently linked with a move to Mercedes, with the continuing downward spiral of Red Bull Racing and the atmosphere within the Austrian team.

Its track performance has been disappointing in both 2024 and 2025, and the seismic sacking of former team boss and CEO, Christian Horner, portrays the current situation at Red Bull.

Max Verstappen has been at Red Bull Racing since 2016, winning on his debut at the Spanish Grand Prix before adding four world titles to his name between 2021 and 2024 | Red Bull Contentpool

The choice of an F1 team for 2026 proves very difficult for Verstappen

"It's a big question mark for everyone,” Verstappen said about the drivers' market for 2026 in an interview with The Athletic.

“For me, you just hope that you’re with the right team, and … I don’t (want) to say ‘luck in’ — but in a way, you do ‘luck in’ because if you’re a good driver and suddenly your team steps up, then you know that you have a winning chance. That’s how F1 works.”

Verstappen isn't really stressed about the decision that needs to be made, revealing that his father, Jos Verstappen, initially thought he was too relaxed as a child.

"I don't care. I know what I've done to get here,” the Dutchman said regarding the unrest surrounding his decision.

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GPblog has learned for now that no choice has been made from Verstappen's camp. The upcoming two Grands Prix, in Belgium and Hungary, will be closely watched first. The choice for which team Verstappen will drive for in 2026 will probably be made during the summer break.

Toto Wolff recently reiterated that Mercedes' focus is on the current driver duo of George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. However, this doesn't mean that his door is no longer open for Verstappen.