Red Bull have failed to deliver the level of performance expected from them in 2025, but next year is a new opportunity.
Confirmation that Max Verstappen will be staying with the team should offer some stability and prevent their morale from dipping any further.
However, Red Bull do have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to be competing with the likes of McLaren and Ferrari after the 2026 F1 regulations begin.
Their superstar driver will not be content with finishing third in the drivers’ championship this season, but there’s a risk that position could yet stoop even further.
Red Bull aren’t ‘capable’ of meeting Verstappen’s demands after failing to bring effective upgrades to their car since the start of 2024.
Even though the RB21 isn’t where they would like it to be, Verstappen was called out for ‘harsh’ Red Bull comments after suggesting that they won’t win another race in 2025.
Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty ImagesMax Verstappen could grow tired if Red Bull fail to find a solution to second driver problem in 2026
Verstappen has failed to end a Red Bull run that stretches back over seven years, to the start of the 2018 season.
The Dutchman has gone four races without stepping on the podium for the first time since his team were supplied with Honda power units.
Over the last few years in particular, he has been leading an effective one-man operation, with little help from teammates Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda.
It’s a trend that his team must change ahead of 2026, if they want Verstappen to hang around in the future. He needs another car to back up his strategy and open up options on track.
There’s also the issue that competing for the constructors’ title is virtually impossible with one car. It may all start with designing a friendlier chassis, but they must also find the right candidate for the seat.
Why Max Verstappen made the right call to stay at Red Bull for 2026
Verstappen identified a ‘soft’ Toto Wolff ‘problem’ before opting to remain with Red Bull for next season. The Dutchman’s contract expires in 2028, but there are performance clauses within it.
Making such a big move ahead of a rule change would have heightened the level of risk for the four-time champion.
Nobody knows what the pecking order will be, and it would have come at great financial cost, as well as damage to relationships.
Therefore, waiting until the end of 2026 to see how things pan out was a wise move and should open up plenty of avenues for Verstappen.