Schumacher questions Verstappen’s Red Bull future after McLaren hospitality sighting – Ralf Schumacher believes fresh speculation surrounding Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull should not be dismissed after the reigning four-time world champion’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, and father, Jos Verstappen, were seen inside McLaren’s hospitality unit during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
While no deal has been confirmed, Schumacher argued the visit was unlikely to have been accidental as uncertainty continues to surround Verstappen’s long-term future.
Speaking on the Sky Sport Germany podcast, the former Formula 1 race winner suggested meaningful discussions had taken place between Verstappen’s representatives and McLaren figures, despite public denials from those involved.
The comments come as Red Bull attempts to stabilise its technical team following the confirmed departure of Gianpiero Lambiase and amid a difficult 2026 campaign for Verstappen.
Ralf Schumacher believes McLaren meeting was significant
Television footage showing Vermeulen and Jos Verstappen inside McLaren’s hospitality area quickly became a talking point during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
Schumacher believes their presence should not be viewed as a casual visit.
“I saw footage of Verstappen’s manager and Jos Verstappen at McLaren last weekend,” Schumacher said on the Sky Sport Germany podcast.
“That is no coincidence. They didn’t just stop by for coffee. There will undoubtedly have been conversations taking place there.”
Despite his comments, Schumacher also acknowledged how quickly fortunes can change in Formula 1.
“Formula 1 remains unpredictable. Something happens every weekend. If the car suddenly performs well again and the atmosphere shifts to something more positive, everything can change just like that.”
McLaren already has Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri contracted into the future, meaning any potential move involving Verstappen would almost certainly be part of a longer-term strategy rather than an immediate driver change.
Neither McLaren nor Verstappen’s management has indicated that negotiations are underway, and senior figures including Laurent Mekies, Zak Brown and Vermeulen have previously attempted to play down speculation.
Red Bull looks to secure stability after Gianpiero Lambiase exit
Away from the transfer rumours, Red Bull has moved to retain one of its key engineering figures by keeping Tom Hart within the organisation.
Hart, currently Verstappen’s performance engineer, had been linked with a move to Williams where he was expected to become Alexander Albon’s race engineer. Instead, he is now widely viewed as the favourite to eventually replace Gianpiero Lambiase following the latter’s confirmed move to McLaren.
Schumacher believes a transition should happen sooner rather than later.
“One thing is clear. Now that Gianpiero Lambiase is officially going to McLaren, he naturally won’t be kept in the loop everywhere anymore.”
He added:
“At some point, you have to draw a line under that and give Max Verstappen a new race engineer. That would also be the logical step, assuming everything else remains as it is.”
Although promotions from performance engineer to race engineer are common in Formula 1, the timing presents a significant challenge given Red Bull’s current competitive struggles.
Difficult season increases scrutiny over Verstappen’s future
Red Bull’s difficult 2026 season has inevitably intensified questions about Verstappen’s future.
The Dutchman has scored just 43 championship points and sits well behind Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who leads the standings with 156 points after an outstanding debut campaign. Verstappen’s teammate, Isack Hadjar, has collected 29 points, underlining the team’s broader struggles compared with previous seasons.
Verstappen has also publicly acknowledged concerns over Red Bull’s ongoing loss of experienced personnel, urging management to strengthen the organisation as several high-profile figures depart.
Those developments have only added to speculation linking the four-time world champion with rival teams ahead of Formula 1’s next major technical cycle.
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I wonder what they would talk about, after just having announced that they’re managing the career of McLaren junior Dries van Langendonck. It’s a complete mystery and I’m sure no journalist would be able to unravel this.