How long will Max Verstappen stay at Red Bull? Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 has been the subject of much speculation, despite his long-term contract with Red Bull, which runs until the end of 2028. As the reigning world champion, his career trajectory remains uncertain – whether he will fulfil his contract, retire from the sport early or make a shock move to another team.
However, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko insists the team are not overly concerned about losing their Dutch star in the immediate future, for now.
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Marko: ‘McLaren favourites’
As the 2025 season got underway with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Verstappen had to settle for second place behind McLaren driver Lando Norris. Although he came close to overtaking his British rival, Red Bull took the result in stride, particularly as their main concern was to ensure their RB21 remained competitive rather than dominating from the outset.
“McLaren are the overwhelming favourites for the title, but the gap between them and Ferrari isn’t as big as we thought during the tests. We’re within striking distance,” Marko told Sport Bild.
The 81-year-old Red Bull consultant emphasized Verstappen’s dominance behind the wheel, saying: “When it comes solely to driver qualities, no one can match Max. He’s in a league of his own. It’s up to us to provide him with a title-winning car”.
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Red Bull must deliver to keep Verstappen
While Verstappen is currently tied to Red Bull for several more seasons, maintaining his presence in their F1 cockpit beyond 2025 will largely depend on the team’s competitiveness.
The Dutch driver has already cemented his legacy with four consecutive world championships, but staying at Red Bull long term requires assurance that the team will continue providing him with a winning car.
One of the biggest potential threats to Red Bull’s hold on Verstappen is Aston Martin, who have been making strategic moves ahead of the 2026 regulations. The British outfit, led by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, have already secured the services of legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey, a move that could significantly boost their competitiveness in the coming seasons.
Given Verstappen’s desire to always be at the front of the pack, his contract reportedly includes a buy-out clause that could allow him to leave Red Bull if the team’s performance drops significantly. However, Marko remains calm when asked about Verstappen’s future: “We are not worried. Max knows what he has in us. But we have to deliver now.”
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Red Bull’s development plan for 2025
In order to remain competitive, Red Bull has already laid out a development plan to address the RB21’s early-season weaknesses.
The team has scheduled its first major development package for the Japanese Grand Prix in early April. A key focus will be to address issues such as excessive tyre wear, which has been a noticeable problem in the early rounds of the season.
With these upgrades in the pipeline, Red Bull will be looking to keep Verstappen in contention for a fifth consecutive world championship title. However, before the updates are implemented, the next challenge on the calendar is the Chinese Grand Prix, where Verstappen will look to reassert his dominance and prove that Red Bull remain the team to beat.
For now, Red Bull appear to have Verstappen’s loyalty, but their long-term partnership will depend on whether they can continue to meet his high expectations. With rivals such as McLaren and Aston Martin closing in, the pressure is mounting – not just on Verstappen, but on Red Bull itself.
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Lawson factor
Liam Lawson’s much-anticipated full-time debut as Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull teammate did not go to plan in Australia. After stepping into the RB21 following Sergio Perez’s departure, the young New Zealander struggled to match the pace expected of a driver in the reigning championship-winning car.
While Verstappen battled at the front and nearly snatched victory from Lando Norris, Lawson found himself well off the pace and failed to make an impression in the season opener. His underwhelming performance immediately raised questions as to whether Red Bull had made the right decision in moving on from Perez, who had been a steady – if inconsistent – second driver to Verstappen over the past few seasons.
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Versetappen advocated for Perez
Behind the scenes, Verstappen had been one of Perez’s strongest supporters, believing that stability in the second seat would be more beneficial than another rookie experiment.
The Dutchman is said to have lobbied for Perez to remain with the team, recognising the importance of having a teammate who could reliably support Red Bull’s championship campaigns. However, with Red Bull choosing to move in a different direction, Verstappen may now question the team’s decision-making process – especially if Lawson continues to struggle while rivals such as McLaren and Ferrari gain ground.
If Red Bull fail to maintain their dominance, the change in dynamics within the team could play a role in Verstappen’s long-term thinking. He has always emphasised his desire to compete at the highest level, and if he feels Red Bull’s internal decisions are affecting their performance, it could become another factor pushing him to explore other options.
Although his contract runs until 2028, Verstappen has a release clause that could allow him to leave if Red Bull is no longer the best place for him to compete for world titles. The combination of a weaker teammate and growing external competition could be enough to make the Dutchman reconsider his future sooner rather than later.
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The first Formula One race weekend of the 2025 season is done and dusted and many of the tantalising questions from pre-season testing have been answered. McLaren are definitely the team to beat at this early stage of the year, while even a “horrible” Red Bull car is capable of extraordinary feats in the hands of max Verstappen.
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The young Italian made a daring overtake in the closing laps to pass Williams’ Alex Albon, something missed by the world feed live at the time. Only Oliver Bearman of the remaining first race of the season rookies managed to finish the rain affected race in Melbourne…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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Helmut should just shut up!
A guy with zero wins, zero podiums, zero points in his F1 career. No accomplishment in F1 at all. Why should his opinions matter? An adviser that’s full of negativity and bashes drivers and teams here and there. This grumpy old fossil should be removed from any organizations with his attitude.