Is Max Verstappen looking to leave Red Bull over RB20 troubles?
Max Verstappen is reportedly looking to leave Red Bull and could take a year off from F1 as he has no other choice.
Red Bull’s unexpected troubles are getting worse and F1 champion Verstappen is on a run of six grand prix wins.
His lead in the drivers’ standings has been cut to 62 points by Lando Norris, who described his RB20 as “a monster” last weekend at Monza.
His anguish over the race weekends has been evident but Red Bull have now been rocked by reports that their star driver wants to leave.
“The Verstappen clan has long agreed: Max will not see out his contract until 2028,” reports German-Swiss newspaper Blick.
“Verstappen wants to leave as soon as possible – but where?”
Verstappen certainly won’t be leaving in 2025, with the entire line-up all but confirmed after Mercedes pinned their hopes on Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton.
But Toto Wolff has never been shy about expressing his admiration for Verstappen.
In 2026, new Formula 1 regulations come into effect and there is speculation that Mercedes could be coming out with an enviable engine.
That would be another setback for Red Bull’s development and could cast fresh doubt on Verstappen’s future.
However, Mercedes’ faith in Antonelli to partner George Russell seems to be a long-term partnership.
“It’s not impossible: Verstappen will take a year off,” the report claims.
A year away from Formula 1 would be a notable move for a driver who has dominated since the start of 2022.
Fernando Alonso is one of those drivers who has taken a break and then returned – although he has yet to win the championship since his return.
Verstappen has frequently talked about retiring early, unlike Hamilton or Alonso.
He is now 26 and, despite being furious about the RB20’s demise, still holds a 62-point advantage at the top of the F1 standings.
The problem is that internal turmoil at Red Bull – involving Christian Horner, Verstappen’s father Jos and Helmut Marko – has created instability.
The report also claims that the departures of Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley were a major factor in Verstappen questioning his future at Red Bull.
