Fans Ask: 'Will Max?'

The rumor itself is already out of date: Max Verstappen said on July 31, 2025 that he will stay with Red Bull for 2026. (formula1.com) Verstappen made the comment before the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix after months of speculation linking him to Mercedes. He said he was already discussing Red Bull’s 2026 plans with the team. (formula1.com) That ended one of Formula One’s longest driver-market storylines of 2025. Motorsport.com reported two days earlier that Verstappen’s contract clause for 2026 could no longer be triggered once he was certain to reach the summer break in the top three of the standings. (motorsport.com) The chatter did not come from nowhere. Christian Horner said in April 2025 that rumors around Verstappen’s future were “noise” while Red Bull was trailing McLaren on pace, and the team then replaced Horner with Laurent Mekies on July 9, 2025. (autosport.com, formula1.com) Mercedes was the most discussed alternative through mid-2025, but that door closed too. Mercedes announced on October 15, 2025 that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli would be its 2026 driver lineup. (formula1.com) Aston Martin was the other team tied to Verstappen because Adrian Newey started there on March 3, 2025 and Honda became Aston Martin’s works engine partner for 2026 after winning titles with Verstappen at Red Bull. (formula1.com, formula1.com) Even with that backdrop, Verstappen’s public position was direct. Formula1.com quoted him saying it was “time to basically stop all the rumours” and that staying had “always been quite clear.” (formula1.com) So if Brazilian paddock talk is asking whether Verstappen is “next,” the confirmed answer for 2026 is no. The real question now is whether Red Bull’s reshaped leadership and 2026 car can keep him beyond that season. (formula1.com, formula1.com)