Apparently, Max Verstappen is not looking forward to having a long career like Lewis Hamilton’s or Fernando Alonso’s. But as long as he is in Formula One, the current double-time champion looks to dominate. Verstappen has won the majority of the races in the last two years. The previous season, he won 15 races, and currently, he has won eight out of 10 races this year. The Dutchman has already surpassed the great Brazilian F1 racer Ayrton Senna’s tally of race wins.
He helped Red Bull get to their 100 race wins in F1 and Adrian Newey’s 200th GP win. Undoubtedly, he is the most dominant racer of the current era. But Max Verstappen mentioned several times in the past that he won’t stick to F1 as long as Alonso and Hamilton did. He is definitely not looking to drive in F1 when he is 40. Verstappen may not stick with Red Bull after 2026. It will come down to the team’s 2026 plans.
Max Verstappen Hopes To Stay With Red Bull After Promising 2026 Plans
After waiting for several years, Verstappen achieved his goal of winning the driver’s world championship in 2021. Since last year, Red Bull helped Verstappen gain a status where no driver came close to him because of the unique car’s concept and design. All thanks to Adrian Newey, the chief technology officer and car designer. Moreover, the credit goes to the engine partner of Red Bull since 2018, Honda. The new engine partners in 2018 really helped Red Bull build a championship-winning car after a troubled stint with McLaren as their engine partner. Recently, it came to light that Honda will stay as Red Bull’s engine partner till 2026. From 2026, Red Bull will have their own powertrains and Ford as well as their engine partner.
Will Max Verstappen stay with Red Bull till 2026 or beyond? According to the Dutchman, his future will depend on the very promising Red Bull’s 2026 plans. In a recent interview with Autosport, Max Verstappen mentioned, “The team has laid a promising plan for the future after FIA and F1 introduce new regulations. It is essential for my future within the Red Bull team.” All Verstappen cares about is winning, and the question is if Red Bull can help him maintain the winning streak even after 2026. There are certain changes the Austrian team is making regarding their own powertrain, which they never had before.
Christian Horner Echoes His Star Driver As He Warns FIA Not To Change Regulations To Hinder The Growth Of The Sport
It will be interesting to see what happens when Ford comes into the picture in 2026. How much different will Ford be from Honda’s contribution? But the Red Bull team has concerns regarding the regulations of the simulator run. Max Verstappen says the 2026 cars can be terrible with the change in rules. Christian Horner has echoed his star driver’s claims saying the sport should not waste the golden opportunity to keep growing. According to the Red Bull boss, it is essential to get the regulations right from the 2026 season.
The Dutchman started his F1 career with Red Bull’s sister team, Alpha Tauri, previously known as Toro Rosso after Helmut Marko noticed him. Even when he started with Red Bull, Verstappen did not instantly have success winning titles. But he did provide competition to the then champions, Mercedes, in the turbo-hybrid era. Then as the Dutchman tasted title success for the first, there has been no stopping him. That’s what Max Verstappen looks to continue, irrespective of different regulations.