Max Verstappen all but committed his Formula One future to Red Bull for the next two seasons in an interview he gave in the run up to the Dutch Grand Prix. Speaking in the week to formula.hu the world champion addressed the upcoming big regulation change in 2026.
Max claims the cars will be a little slower but remains in a ‘wait and see’ state of mind as to how the new regulations will affect the current pecking order. When asked about how Red Bull will fair becoming the first customer team in F1 history to build its own power unit, Max appeared relaxed.
“I think the most important thing is not to make decisions based on emotion, because that will always get you back,” he said. “I’m a patient person myself, I don’t over-worry things.”
Wolff meets with Verstappen representatives
The emotion Verstappen is referring to probably related to the turmoil inside the Red Bull camp this year, following accusations that Christian Horner had acted “inappropriately” towards a female employee within the team.
The Red Bull boss was cleared of any improper behaviour by an external investigation process and then again following a failed appeal announced last week by the female in question.
Ye arch rival Toto Wolff has used the upheaval inside Red Bull to promote the idea that Max should join Mercedes. He even baited Horner et al claiming mischievously there’d be a place at Mercedes for Verstappen’s controversial mentor, Dr. Helmut Marko, who he likened to their “old mascot, Niki Lauda.”
Wolff also revealed in a taunt that he’d met with Verstappen’s representatives over the summer break though Verstappen appeared to imply in his interview he was now committed to Red Bull racing for the next two years. When asked about the progress of Red Bull’s new power train he had this to say.
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Verstappen commits two more years to Red Bull
“How is it going? I’m very confident, but we have to be realistic. We have to fight against people who have been making engines for over a hundred years. They have a lot of experience, but of course we have also signed a lot of people,” said the world champion.
It appears Verstappen wants to ‘wait and see’ how Red Bull come out of the big car design regulation change together with the implementation of the new power units before he decides his future beyond there.
“A lot of things have to stay together or come together and I also have to think about the future, what will happen after 2026. So I am patient,” concluded Max.
In an interview today with De Telegraaf, interestingly a Dutch publication, Toto Wolff appeared to confirm their driver line up for 2025 was now settled.
Wolff taunts Horner
“What I like with Max, Raymond and Jos is that we talk straight. We don’t need to push each other. We have been in this too long; we’ve taken the decision for drivers for next year. This is what our full effort is going into,” said Wolff.
The Mercedes boss then expressed his hope that the lineup would remain into “2026 or beyond. But that doesn’t close the door on Max being with us in 2026 or beyond, because we want to still keep all the options open in the same way he does. So what I enjoyed in our conversations is there is never a hidden agenda.”
Wolff again teases Horner in public and challenges the legitimacy of the Red Bull contract to keep the Dutch champion with them until the end of 2028. “Somehow I have that feeling [that Mercedes and Verstappen’s paths will cross]. But I don’t know when that could be. Whether it’s ’26, whether it’s three years’ later, I don’t know yet,” Wolff concluded.
Mercedes have delayed announcing the replacement for Lewis Hamilton for what seems like an eternity. With Carlos Sainz opting to drive for Williams, it appeared the driver market for Mercedes was now particularly limited.
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A surprised Toto Wolff was asked when he discovered Hamilton’s decision, who he might bring in as a replacement. The Mercedes boss then hinted he make may a “bold decision” which most F1 commentators read as promoting academy driver Kimi Antonelli.
The young Italian has a junior career similar to the world champion winning European regional Formula and now finds himself propelled into international racing in F2 this year. His Prema team mate Oliver Bearman is already confirmed for Haas F1 next year and Antonelli is beating his team mate hands down in F2 at present.
A less experienced Wolff reveals he met with the Verstappen’s back in 2013 and before he had time to act, Red Bull had snatched the young Dutch driver for a seat in their sister team named Toro Rosso at the time.
Wolff appeared to mistakenly reveal who the driver will be joining George Russell next year when he concluded:
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“Soon, we will confirm who is in the second seat. And what I also said is that the two drivers that are in the car have our full support, 100 per cent.”
“And therefore, I’m entering the season in 2025 with two drivers that we will be given all the opportunity to perform. And that’s why I don’t want to talk about the 2026 driver line-up at that stage because I want to make it work with George and Kimi.”
Mercedes have previously bloodied their academy drivers through an association with Williams. George Russell learned his F1 craft with the Grove based F1 squad, origin for the historic British racing marque between 2019-2021.
Yet new team boss at the Williams team has set out his stall. He only wants experienced drivers going forward to propel his ‘project rebuild’ of the team. Vowles was effusive over Sainz agreement to join his squad telling Sky F1 presenters he “wished he could bottle up the feelings expressed when he told the factory the news.”
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Scheduling the on track action during a Formula One weekend is no simple matter. Each F1 outing is almost unique given the varying type of support racing thats included and then there’s the six Sprint events to boot.
Time has to be allowed between each track session for potential repairs to the circuit and in connotative sessions there’s always the risk of a red flag.
This weekend in Zandvoort, the supporting series schedule is fairly light as only the F1 Academy female drivers together with the Porsche super cup are making an appearance. This means the time between each session is longer here than at F1 events where F2, F3 and another series is competing… READ MORE
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