Max Verstappen joined the Red Bull setup at a mere age of 17. Although he did not make his Formula One debut with the senior team, it was with the subsidiary team, Torro Rosso (later known as Alpha Tauri). Nonetheless, the Dutch racer transitioned from the sister team to the senior RBR team in less than a year. Since then, he has been an absolute astonishment. However, he had to wait five years to earn his first world title.
On the other hand, the Dutch driver won his debut Grand Prix with RBR at the young age of 18. Since his RBR debut, Verstappen has been remarkable. He was the protagonist in ending the Mercedes’ reign in 2021. However, after winning three consecutive world titles with the Milton Keynes-based squad, rumors suggest he might leave. Despite Verstappen’s firm commitment to his tenure at Red Bull, Ralf Schumacher has made a shocking claim.
Max Verstappen May Join A New Team In 2026 Amid Internal Struggles At Red Bull
During a recent interview with The Guardian, Max Verstappen said he is loyal. Moreover, loyalty is essential to him. He stated that this is all he wants from the Red Bull Racing team. Furthermore, the three-time Driver’s Champion stated that his experience with the squad has been positive thus far. He simply wants to maintain it that way for a long time. While these words might be music to Red Bull management’s ears, things might change in the future. Although Red Bull has the fastest car, its rivals are rapidly climbing. Moreover, the internal mayhem that has been going on for a while might push him away. Ralf Schumacher shared a similar thought with Formel1.de. The recent race weekends suggest that teams like Ferrari and McLaren have caught up with the Austrian outfit. Consequently, the team has lost two out of the last three races. At the same time, the Imola victory was a result of Verstappen’s excellence.
Therefore, as the tension rises at Milton Keynes, their performance drops short. In other words, the ongoing tussle has affected the team’s on-track domination. Hence, Ralf said Max and Jos Verstappen know what’s best for the driver. Further, he added the team is ‘internally torn,’ and he would be surprised if Verstappen stays with RBR beyond 2026. In the end, he concluded by pointing out the woes of RB20, as it is ‘no longer the fastest car.’ If the prediction comes alive, the 2026 grid will look completely different. Further, if Mercedes could develop a competitive car, Toto Wolff’s dream of signing Verstappen might be revived.
Ralf Schumacher Feels Helmut Marko Might Leave With Verstappen
Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen share a close bond, having been together since Verstappen’s debut. Therefore, Ralf believes Marko will follow Verstappen if the Dutchman leaves the outfit.
If this happens, it could be a vital blow to the Austrian squad, as both are integral parts of the team. Adrian Newey left the crew earlier, making it prone to internal conflicts. Hence, the future might further exacerbate the Red Bull conundrum.