Beyond speculation linking Max Verstappen to Mercedes, Aston Martin, or staying with Red Bull, a new possibility is gaining traction: the quadruple world champion could opt for a sabbatical or even retire from Formula 1.
Verstappen's frustration was palpable at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where he refused to discuss a controversial 5-second penalty for a first-corner incident with McLaren's Oscar Piastri, marking one of his angriest moments in the sport.
Even before the actual race in Jeddah, he was visibly irritated by persistent rumours about leaving Red Bull at season's end. Addressing British commentator David Croft, Verstappen snapped, "I think just focus on commentating. I'll focus on driving, then you don't need to think about any other scenarios."
Croft later told The Times newspaper that he maintains a "really good relationship" with Verstappen, having "never rowed about anything." He noted that Verstappen's fans "attacked" him on social media but affirmed his resolve, stating, "I'll be there at the next press conference. It's not going to put me off asking the question."
Verstappen's discontent coincides with Red Bull's recent struggles, including political turmoil and a performance decline, exacerbated by the exit of key personnel like Adrian Newey.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher pointed the finger at team principal Christian Horner, telling Sky Deutschland, "In my opinion, Pierre Wache is clearly not Adrian Newey." Schumacher added, "He built the whole team, and together with Dr (Helmut) Marko, he's responsible for what happened. He (Horner) should have seen it coming. He should never have lost Adrian Newey."
The leading teams tipped to lure Verstappen for 2026 are Mercedes and Aston Martin.
Franz Tost, former Racing Bulls boss and still part-time Red Bull consultant, told Germany's Sport1, "Mercedes is performing excellently. But George Russell is performing so well at the moment so ultimately it will be up to Toto Wolff to decide. Personally, I think Aston Martin is the favourite. I believe it will be the team of the future."
However, former Toyota driver Timo Glock proposed a different scenario: Verstappen could take a 2025 sabbatical to step back from F1, assess the new 2026 regulations, and spend time with his soon-to-be-born first child.
Glock even suggested the 27-year-old might retire outright. "It could happen that he says it's all become too stupid and over-regulated for him," Glock said.
"Maybe he'll come back at some point, but you have to take Verstappen seriously when he keeps saying he'd retire if he were repeatedly subjected to such excessive punishment."
