Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has a strong track record at the Red Bull Ring, having won there five times. With an upgraded car for Red Bull`s home race in Austria, he’ll be aiming to add another victory to his name. However, he remains at the risk of receiving a ban for one race for too many penalty points.
Verstappen`s teammate Yuki Tsunoda is usually too far to help him, and the 27-year-old`s future is far from clear. When asked if he will stay on with the team for the 2026 season, “I don`t think we need to talk about that,” Verstappen said. “It`s not really in my mind. It`s just driving and trying to push the performance, you know. And then we focus on next year,” he added.
Verstappen has a long-term contract through 2028, so the Red Bull seat should be the safest place for him. But the deal was made on the basis of performance, which could allow a move. On the other hand, Mercedes is yet to confirm the driver for 2026, and if things go well, it can turn out as an option for him.
That would mean Verstappen teaming up with an old foe in Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who would also have to choose to drop either George Russell or Kimi Raikkonnen.
Dramatic changes to how F1 cars look and perform are coming in 2026, and Red Bull has to adapt more than most.
For the first time in nearly two decades, it heads into a new era of F1 rules without design guru Adrian Newey, who left last year and is now at Aston Martin.
The other teams are sticking with their existing engine arrangements, but not Red Bull. The team has its own engine developer, Red Bull Powertrains, but is switching partners for 2026 from Honda to Ford.
The other teams are sticking with their existing engine arrangements, but not Red Bull. The team has its own engine developer, Red Bull Powertrains, but is switching partners for 2026 from Honda to Ford.
No Formula One team is depending on only one driver as much as Red Bull is on Verstappen. He has scored 155 points of the team`s 162 this season.
His teammates, first Liam Lawson, then Tsunoda have struggled all season. That`s helped to restore the reputation of Sergio Perez, who was dropped by Red Bull after scoring barely one-third of Verstappen`s points last season.
(With AP Inputs)
