Verstappen currently has a deal that runs until the end of the 2028 season<\/a>, and without him, the Anglo-Austrian team would be rooted to the bottom of the constructors\u2019 championship.<\/p>\n Yuki Tsunoda has scored seven points since his Racing Bulls promotion, with Liam Lawson failing to trouble the scorers during his two-race stint with the team.<\/p>\n Position Drivers’ Championship PointsPts 1 234 2 226 3 165 4 147 5 119 6 103 7 63 8 46 9 37 10 23 <\/p>\n It\u2019s yet to be seen whether Christian Horner\u2019s Red Bull dismissal<\/a> has harmed or improved the team\u2019s chances of retaining their most valuable asset.<\/p>\n Mercedes have been heavily linked with Verstappen<\/a>, and the delay in George Russell or Andrea Kimi Antonelli signing a contract extension suggests Toto Wolff<\/a> is giving the 27-year-old every opportunity to part ways with Red Bull this season.<\/p>\n However, journalist Ralf Bach, who is close to the Verstappen camp, believes another team could still enter the equation.<\/p>\n Aston Martin<\/a>, who have scored 542 points in their F1 history, might not be front-runners right now, but they\u2019re on a very exciting trajectory under the leadership of Lawrence Stroll<\/a>.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen\u2019s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend<\/a><\/p>\n Bach was asked on the F1 Insider YouTube channel what he had heard about Verstappen\u2019s future in the past few days and said: \u201cYou have to put yourself in Max Verstappen\u2019s shoes.<\/p>\n \u201cBasically, he\u2019s a loyal guy who would find it hard to leave Red Bull for another team, especially people like Helmut Marko, and so on.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the other hand, he obviously has to think about what the technical aspects are. What will the competition look like next year, and in the future?<\/p>\n \u201cHe is now in a bit of an emotional bind, because he already knows that Horner was fired because of him and his camp.<\/p>\n \u201c[Oliver] Mintzlaff and co. ended up throwing him out because they were too afraid that if he stayed, Max would definitely leave. That\u2019s how it is. he knows that the probability is a little higher, but not 100%.<\/p>\n \u201cI think by the time of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max will have a better idea.<\/p>\n TEAMENGINERed BullRed Bull Powertrains (in partnership with Ford)FerrariFerrariMcLarenMercedesMercedesMercedesAston MartinHondaRacing BullsRed Bull Powertrains (in partnership with Ford)HaasFerrariWilliamsMercedesAlpineMercedesAudiAudiCadillacFerrariF1 engine suppliers for the 2026 season<\/p>\n \u201cSuddenly, I think Aston Martin is still a little bit in the back of his mind. It\u2019s all about where he can win races next year and where he can win the world championship.<\/p>\n \u201cCan he do that with Red Bull? Will Laurent Mekies, Christian Horner\u2019s successor, be the right man to get Red Bull back on the winning track?<\/p>\n \u201cHonda are going to Aston Martin. He knows the Honda people and he trusts them a lot.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard now that Honda is going its own way when it comes to battery technology for next year. So, Ferrari is gone, and Mercedes is on the same level.<\/p>\n \u201cHonda is trying something different. No idea, if that\u2019s better or bad, it\u2019s just different.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing is clear: Red Bull only calms down once Max makes an announcement. Either he leaves the team or he stays. Otherwise, the speculation continues.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Adrian Newey studying McLaren success ahead of 2026 Formula 1 season<\/p>\n McLaren are the strongest team in Formula 1 right now, but Zak Brown\u2019s previous efforts to sound out Verstappen fell on deaf ears after calling the Dutchman\u2019s representatives, via The Mirror<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, Verstappen needs to assess his best option for 2026 and beyond with next year\u2019s rule changes in mind.<\/p>\n![\"Red](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2216478671-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Kym Illman\/Getty ImagesAston Martin move \u2018in the back of\u2019 Max Verstappen\u2019s mind as he considers Red Bull future<\/p>\n