Max Verstappen, who is under contract with Red Bull Racing until 2028, has recently expressed frustration over the team’s performance struggles in the 2024 season. After dominating the 2023 campaign, winning all but one race, Red Bull has faced a significant downturn, failing to secure a win in the last six rounds. Verstappen described the team’s current car as a “monster,” signaling his dissatisfaction and raising questions about his long-term future with the team.
While Verstappen still leads the Drivers’ Championship by 62 points over McLaren’s Lando Norris, and Red Bull holds a slim eight-point lead in the Constructors’ Championship over McLaren, the reigning world champion has admitted that both championships are looking increasingly unlikely this season.
Off-track issues have added to Red Bull’s troubles, including a controversy involving team principal Christian Horner, who was cleared of misconduct allegations but remains at odds with Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, through media proxies. Moreover, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has openly pursued Verstappen in the past, though he recently signed Kimi Antonelli to partner George Russell starting in 2025. Wolff hinted that discussions about Verstappen had been on the table, especially in light of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.
Red Bull’s focus is now firmly on retaining both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles to keep Verstappen satisfied, especially with the looming uncertainty of the 2026 Red Bull Powertrains project. If the team’s performance doesn’t improve, Verstappen could potentially explore other opportunities, with Mercedes and Aston Martin—which has a forthcoming Honda works engine deal and possible ties to departing Red Bull designer Adrian Newey—as tempting destinations for the Dutch driver.
