Verstappen-to-McLaren move labelled ‘possible’ amid Red Bull uncertainty

The future of the four-time world champion remains hanging by a thread, with Red Bull enduring a disastrous start to the season and the Dutchman’s frustration over the new regulations showing no signs of easing.

Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher suggested Verstappen’s recent comments may point towards preparations for a future away from Red Bull rather than any thoughts of retirement. The former F1 driver believes the Dutchman is unlikely to wait several years for Red Bull to return to the front, especially given the team’s difficult start to the new regulatory era. He also pointed to McLaren as a possible destination, highlighting both the team’s current strength and Zak Brown’s long-standing interest in Verstappen behind the scenes.

Martin Brundle believes a potential Red Bull exit for Verstappen may not be as straightforward as many expect, pointing to the strength and stability of the current driver line-ups across Formula 1’s top teams. According to the former F1 driver, Mercedes already appear fully committed to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, while McLaren’s pairing continues to deliver strongly both on and off the track. Ferrari, meanwhile, also looks settled with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton leading the team.

Brundle suggested Verstappen’s chances of securing a seat at another frontrunning outfit would likely depend on one of those teams unexpectedly making changes to its current line-up, something he sees as difficult given the performances and contracts of the drivers involved.

In his view, if Verstappen were to leave Red Bull purely for competitive reasons, Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari would realistically be the only destinations capable of offering a genuine step forward.