Verstappen’s manager keeps door wide open for a departure from Red Bull

Laurent Mekies stated in the press conference that Verstappen had told him he wants to stay at Red Bull. The nuance the Frenchman quickly added was that Verstappen wants a competitive car. It is precisely that nuance that means Verstappen still isn’t saying a 100% yes when asked if he will be driving for Red Bull Racing in 2027.

“Our goal is to finish this adventure together with Red Bull. The spirit of Red Bull and the spirit of Verstappen, they match. We just need a package that allows us to fight at the front. That has always been the foundation. We feel at home at Red Bull, but we want to be competitive. In the end, Max wasn’t born to race in the midfield,” says Raymond Vermeulen.

And that last point is currently a problem for Verstappen’s camp. The Dutchman is seventh in the world championship and has not won a single Grand Prix yet. Before 2026, it was expected to be a transitional year, mainly because of the new in-house engine. However, that has turned out to be better than expected.

“That’s obviously very positive,” says Vermeulen. “The foundation is right. Here in Austria, the team is bringing a massive update for the car. Let’s hope it has a positive effect, because it’s clear we need to make progress. Max is seventh in the championship. That’s not where he and Red Bull belong, but it is the reality.”

And so Verstappen finds himself in the midfield, where he says he doesn’t belong - and doesn’t want to stay for long. It’s up to Red Bull to prove they can fight for wins and titles again; otherwise, there are plenty of other teams that will be eyeing Verstappen’s services.

McLaren seems the top favorite in that regard. While Mercedes and Ferrari have locked in their drivers for 2027, there are reportedly clauses in Oscar Piastri’s contract that would allow the Australian to leave. Zak Brown would like to work with the Dutchman and has previously shown with Daniel Ricciardo that he isn’t averse to an early termination. Piastri could then make the reverse move to Red Bull.

For now, Vermeulen is understandably tight-lipped about a possible transfer: “We now have the time to focus on the car’s performance. That has nothing to do with leaving or not leaving. We just want to see where we stand and how the car develops. And that means we don’t need to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ right now. We have agreements and we stick to them. And loyalty has always been our starting point, from both parties. Over all these years we’ve had many new contracts, and they have always been carefully considered.”