Doornbos claims Verstappen free to leave Red Bull

Max Verstappen may already have the option to leave Red Bull, despite being under contract through 2028.

Until now, it was believed that the reigning world champion’s exit clause could only be activated if he dropped to fourth or lower in the standings by the end of July, but former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos, who is close to Verstappen, claims otherwise.

“He has to be in the top two of the championship halfway through the year,” Doornbos revealed on the Pit Talk podcast. “That is not the case now. That exit clause is now activated.”

That revelation could explain why rumours of a 2026 switch to Mercedes have intensified in recent weeks.

Tensions within Red Bull, particularly between Christian Horner and Max’s father Jos Verstappen, are also believed to be a factor.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, the Verstappen camp may now be using its leverage to push for changes in the team’s leadership, perhaps even Horner’s removal or a reduction in his authority.

Jos Verstappen has not held back in his assessment of Red Bull’s current form. “Other teams are making progress,” he told Race Express. “Ferrari brought some good upgrades. We know that McLaren is always at the front, and Mercedes is somewhere in between.”

Red Bull’s own Austria-spec upgrade failed to impress him.

“I don’t think it made that much difference. You saw it with (Yuki) Tsunoda - he did not even make Q2.

“The speed is nowhere to be found. It’s just not going well enough.”

Amid the turmoil, Max Verstappen has notably refrained from confirming his plans for 2026, even as speculation continues to swirl.

De Telegraaf wrote: “The world champion is gradually getting bored with the weekly apology bingo. It’s not for nothing that Verstappen hasn’t said yet that he will definitely drive for Red Bull next season.”

When asked about his future at the Red Bull Ring, Verstappen offered little clarity, telling Viaplay: “I don’t have much to say about it. The more I say, the more it will be reported. You can interpret that however you want. I’d just rather not say much more about it.”

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has blamed Mercedes, and particularly George Russell, for stoking the speculation. There are even suggestions that Russell may already have secured a secret contract extension.

George isn’t exploring the market intensively enough,” Horner said. “If he was really worried about his place, he would be looking around.

“We focus on ourselves,” he added. “We know what the situation is with Max, and what contract he has. The rest are rumours, which do not come from Max.”

Still, some in the paddock believe Verstappen’s interest in Mercedes is fuelled by doubts over Red Bull’s in-house engine program with Ford for 2026. Mercedes is widely tipped to produce the best power unit under the new regulations.

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko insists there’s no reason to worry, at least not yet.

“We can’t prove that to him, but nobody can,” Marko said of the 2026 engine situation. For now, Verstappen remains calm in public. “I just want to do my thing and not put anyone under pressure,” he said. “I just want to do my best. Then I’ll go home and do other things I’m involved with, then I’ll go to the next race.

“It’s not that I’m thinking a lot more now than last year or the years before that. I’m just very relaxed about everything. What people say here doesn’t interest me that much. I determine my own future.”

Behind the scenes, however, Marko admits the paddock is abuzz.

“Everyone is talking to everyone,” he said. “As everyone knows, Max has a contract with us until 2028. To keep him happy and on board, we have to give him a competitive car. That is not quite the case now, but we are getting close. If he feels that he can win with us, he will stay.”