Max Verstappen has suggested that Red Bull will require a “rebuilding” phase to return to the top in Formula 1 amid a downturn in competitiveness over the last 12 months.
The Dutchman confirmed to the media ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that he will remain with the Austrian outfit ahead of next year’s regulation reset.
Despite months of speculation linking him to Mercedes, Verstappen ended the rumours, committing to see out his Red Bull contract through 2028 – for now.
While Laurent Mekies can take comfort in working alongside the four-time World Champion, he knows there is no room for complacency; a competitive car must be delivered for Verstappen.
Though no stranger to fighting with imperfect machinery early in his Red Bull career, Verstappen has always been clear that he only competes in F1 to win.
Falling behind rivals is therefore not an option, and he is already focused on what needs to be done next season to stage a comeback.
“I’m very focused on ’26 with the team, to look ahead and make sure that we nail the regulations, and that we are competitive from the start,” he declared to the F1 website.
“The team has gone from, of course, winning championships before I arrived, to when I arrived, a bit through a rebuilding phase, and then we really hit the peak again of winning championships.
“Now I feel like [it’s] slight rebuilding. We’re still, of course, a very strong team, but I do think that to make again a step up, there’s slight rebuilding or restructuring maybe, and understanding a little bit more what’s going on, and that of course takes a little bit of time, but hopefully not too much time.
“I think that’s also a bit the mentality of the team [to fight back from a dip], it’s always been like that, so I’m not too worried about that.”
Why Verstappen was right to assess Red Bull’s path in 2026
Despite a promising start to the 2024 campaign, in which Verstappen won seven of the opening 10 rounds, Red Bull dropped off the pace significantly.
The team eventually lost out to McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship fight, but Verstappen’s brilliance ensured that he retained the Drivers’ title.
This campaign, however, has proved more challenging. After 14 races, Verstappen has only two wins – in Japan and Imola – as McLaren has dominated.
Following Red Bull’s slump, speculation over Verstappen moving to Mercedes had grown, fueled by a performance-related exit clause in his Red Bull contract.
Yet Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes it made sense for Verstappen to stay and see how the team begins the new era, with results potentially shaping any future decisions.
“I don’t know what considerations he made, personally and with his management, but it was clear from his statements that he wanted to stay,” Marko said of Verstappen to F1-Insider.
“Even if the escape clause had come into effect… Nobody knows what the situation will be like in 2026. Mercedes declares itself the favourite, but there is no evidence.
“Also, in terms of chassis, you don’t know who will hit the jackpot. There is a lot of uncertainty.
“From his perspective, it makes much more sense to stay, wait and see. If it turns out next year that we are not competitive, he can always reconsider his decision.”
READ MORE – How Laurent Mekies is boosting Max Verstappen’s confidence in Red Bull’s long-term F1 future
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