For the second year in succession, Max Verstappen is at the centre of a major rumour regarding his Formula 1 future, this time regarding a highly-speculated move to McLaren.
Since the Austrian Grand Prix weekend two weeks ago, a huge curveball was lobbed into the F1 paddock with the bombshell report by the Daily Mail that Verstappen had held secret talks with McLaren.
Naturally, the rumours were swiftly shut down by both Red Bull and McLaren, with an insistence on continuity and happiness with current line-ups.
That’s as maybe, but Verstappen appears far from happy with the current situation at the Milton Keynes-based squad.
In Spielberg, Verstappen spun out of qualifying when attempting a last-gasp bid for pole position, and in the latter stages of the British Grand Prix last Sunday, the Dutchman suffered another uncharacteristic spin at Stowe, sending him out of the race.
“I’m stuck mate. F**k this car, f**k! Unbelievable. F**k this.”
Those were the words of Verstappen back to race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase as his RB22 lay beached in the gravel trap, condemning him to zero points and therefore ensuring his inability to enter the summer break in the top two of the Drivers’ Championship.
This is where the four-time World Champion can supposedly trigger a clause in his contract with the team that can see him leave and seek pastures new.
After the race at Silverstone, Team Principal Laurent Mekies was spotted engaged in what appeared to be a discussion with Verstappen’s father Jos and his manager, Raymond Vermuelen, sparking a plethora of online speculation, but a new stage of the saga apparently took place – or didn’t, as the case may be – whilst still in Austria.
All options on the table, but is Max Verstappen biding his time?
Dutch publication De Limburger has reported that Red Bull bigwigs are extremely unhappy with Verstappen’s apparent decision to mull the situation over, in what appears to be a stick-or-twist choice.
PlanetF1 has reported that a meeting between Verstappen, Vermuelen, and both sides of the 49-51 percent Red Bull ownership – including Chalerm Yoovidhya, from the 51 percent half – was held in Austria to try and buy the clause out of Verstappen’s contract, but he refused.
Sources have told Motorsport Week that a meeting between Verstappen – with Vermuelen – and two members of the 49 percent side of the Red Bull’s ownership – founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s son Mark, and CEO of Corporate Projects and New Investments Oliver Mitzlaff – was set to be held in London on Monday, after the cancellation of another meeting in Austria, after the race, in which Verstappen took second.
Motorsport Week understands that Monday’s meeting was also cancelled after the talks immediately after the British GP did not end well, with Verstappen’s jet recorded as flying out of England on Sunday night.
On top of this, De Telegraaf additionally reported that Red Bull’s Technical Director, Pierre Wache, has ceased sharing ‘confidential information’ with Lambiase, to thwart any possibility of that being shared with his future employer.
This will leave these bad feelings to fester between now and next weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, a race which is unlikely to help Verstappen’s mood, with the power-friendly Spa-Francorchamps circuit likely to cause Red Bull some more problems.
HMM??? 🤔
— Formula_Universe (@FormulaUnivers3) July 5, 2026
MEKIES IS TALKING WITH JOS VERSTAPPEN AND RAYMOND VERMUELEN (Max’s Manager)
This could get interesting pic.twitter.com/itsnEBQtcD
What is unclear is, if Verstappen is to take the seismic step and leave Red Bull – with which he has been affiliated since a teenager – what will be his next immediate destination?
De Limburger additionally reported that a sabbatical from F1 and even a full-blown retirement are still serious options, but placing himself on the driver market will naturally place him on the radar of many teams.
Verstappen has, on numerous occasions, hinted of being nonplussed about the idea of leaving F1 earlier than many would expect a driver of his calibre to do, and his enjoyment of racing in other categories – such as his recent NLS exploits – leaves him free to explore other forms of four-wheeled excitement.
But McLaren provides a lure through familiar faces that would greet him upon entering the door.
McLaren is strewn with ex-Red Bull staffers, namely designer Rob Marshall, Sporting Director Will Courtenay, and, of course, Lambiase, who is set to join the team “no later than 2028”.
Motorsport Week understands that just about every realistic permutation is on the table – including a long-term deal with McLaren, with money highly unlikely to be an obstacle – but whatever the outcome, it is likely that a decision will come earlier in comparison to last year, when speculation about a possible switch to Mercedes was not fully quashed until after the summer break.
If Verstappen were to put pen to paper with McLaren, it is highly likely that Piastri will be the driver to make way, with, as per the Daily Mail‘s initial report, a straight swap to Red Bull the likely destination.
Despite what appears to be a ramping-up of the talks between Verstappen and McLaren, CEO Zak Brown quashed the speculation ahead of the race at Silverstone last week, telling media, including Motorsport Week: “I’m very happy with my two racing drivers, Lando [Norris] and Oscar [Piastri], and I think any time a name like Max is thrown around everyone gets pretty excited. Four-time World Champion, but very happy with our driver line-up.”
Regardless of the outcome, the media circus that follows Verstappen’s every move will be followed and tracked, as the guessing game about where one of the sport’s modern greats will find himself.
Motorsport Week has asked Red Bull to comment ahead of the publication of this story, but as of yet have had no response.
We will update the story should Red Bull care to comment after publication.
READ MORE – Martin Brundle backs Max Verstappen for seismic Lewis Hamilton-style F1 switch
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