{"id":669749,"date":"2026-05-14T21:22:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T21:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/669749\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T21:22:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T21:22:12","slug":"f1-insider-max-verstappen-eyeing-ferrari-mclaren-mercedes-exit-from-red-bull","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/669749\/","title":{"rendered":"F1 Insider: Max Verstappen Eyeing Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes Exit From Red Bull"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Max Verstappen will-he-won\u2019t-he saga<\/a> got fresh fuel this week, and this time it\u2019s coming from someone who\u2019s been inside the paddock long enough to read between the lines.<\/p>\n

The four-time world champion has Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes on his shortlist if he triggers the performance-based exit clauses buried in his Red Bull contract, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner <\/a>told casino.org. With Red Bull sitting fourth in the constructors\u2019 standings and Verstappen scoring all but four of the team\u2019s 30 points, the conversation isn\u2019t theoretical anymore.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn my opinion, Max can only go to 3 teams: Ferrari, McLaren, or Mercedes,\u201d Steiner said. \u201cBut is there anything available at the moment? Maybe not, but would they make something available for Max Verstappen? That is the big question.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also Read:: Formula 1 2026 Canadian Grand Prix: 5 Storylines to Watch<\/a><\/p>\n

Where There\u2019s Max Verstappen Smoke, There\u2019s Fire\"Max<\/p>\n

Credit: F1<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why this isn\u2019t just empty paddock chatter. Verstappen is technically contracted to Red Bull through 2028<\/a>, but the deal reportedly carries performance-based exit clauses<\/a>. The most relevant one: if Max isn\u2019t inside the top two of the drivers\u2019 standings at the summer break, the door opens for an early departure at season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n

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Right now, that door is wide open. Red Bull sits fourth in the constructors\u2019 championship with just 30 points after four rounds. Verstappen himself is seventh in the drivers\u2019 standings, and he\u2019s scored all but four of the team\u2019s points. The car is a problem. The trajectory is worse.<\/p>\n

Steiner pointed to recent history as the template for how this could shake out. Ferrari moved Carlos Sainz aside to make room for Lewis Hamilton. Top teams clear seats for generational talent. They just do.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust look back at when Ferrari let Carlos go, who was doing a good job, because the GOAT Lewis Hamilton came around,\u201d Steiner said. \u201cSo, I think something like this needs to happen, but that is the thing Max will be looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Each team on the shortlist carries its own complication. Mercedes has been linked to Verstappen<\/a> for years through his relationship with Toto Wolff, though that talk has cooled lately, partly because Kimi Antonelli is currently leading the championship<\/a> and George Russell isn\u2019t going anywhere. Ferrari already has Hamilton and Charles Leclerc under contract. McLaren has reigning champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the two drivers most American fans would name first if you asked them who\u2019s actually winning races right now.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

But McLaren\u2019s case has a wrinkle worth watching. GP Lambiase, Verstappen\u2019s longtime race engineer and the calmest voice he\u2019s ever had in his ear, is heading to Woking as chief racing officer by 2028. That\u2019s not a coincidence anyone in the paddock is treating as a coincidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will be looking and speaking with these three teams,\u201d Steiner said, \u201cbut I don\u2019t think there is one which is focused on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Translation: Max is shopping. The only question left is whether anyone is genuinely ready to buy. With the summer break still months away, expect the noise around Verstappen\u2019s future to grow before it subsides. Red Bull\u2019s recovery timeline is the real deadline, and right now, they\u2019re running out of road.<\/p>\n

Also Read:: FanDuel Becomes Formula 1\u2019s First Official U.S. Betting Partner Ahead of Miami Grand Prix<\/a><\/p>\n

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