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Helmut Marko signed Max Verstappen to the longest contract in Formula 1 history to lock him in at Red Bull through the 2028 season, yet his future is often up for debate.
Red Bull moved quickly on the back of Verstappen winning the F1 drivers’ championship for the first time to have the Dutchman put pen to paper on a new contract in March 2022. It is also estimated that Verstappen was the highest-paid F1 driver in 2025, having earned £57m.
Last season marked the fourth successive year in which Verstappen was the highest-paid F1 driver, as well, thanks to escalators in his annual salary. But Red Bull often have to deal with questions that Verstappen could trigger release clauses in his contract to join another team.
Toto Wolff confirmed that Mercedes spoke with Verstappen’s manager in 2025 to sound out the possibility of a switch. But Verstappen did not meet the requirements to break out of his Red Bull contract, so Mercedes handed George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli new deals.
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Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull would be ‘logical’ if he cannot break every F1 record
Verstappen had to rank outside the top three in the 2025 F1 standings at the summer break to activate the exit clause in his contract for Red Bull. But Verstappen could leave Red Bull in 2026, as he will only have to rank outside the top two in the 2026 F1 standings this summer.
READ MORE: Every F1 record that Michael Schumacher still holds ahead of the 2026 season
Marko negotiated the terms of Verstappen’s contract while he was Red Bull’s F1 motorsport adviser. And the Austrian claims it would be “logical” if Verstappen were to leave Red Bull if their new engine does not let the 28-year-old pursue his dream of breaking every F1 record.
“I negotiated the contract,” Marko told OE24. “We always had a fair relationship, and it’s obvious that we can’t keep Max if the new engine doesn’t work. It was, in any case, the longest-term Formula 1 contract ever signed.
Marko added on the threat of Verstappen leaving Red Bull if they can no longer win: “That’s only logical. Max wants to keep his chances of breaking all the records alive. The new engine is a risk. We’ll soon see where it stands.”
Red Bull are not confident their engine will let Max Verstappen fight at the front in 2026
When will Max Verstappen beat Michael Schumacher’s Formula 1 records?
Red Bull start a new era in 2026, as they will use their own engine for the first time. Honda’s initial decision to withdraw from F1 saw ex-Red Bull boss Christian Horner establish Red Bull Powertrains and seal a partnership with Ford to build an engine under the 2026 regulations.
Honda later agreed to stay due to the 2026 F1 regulation and agreed a deal for Aston Martin to be the Japanese brand’s engine partner. Fielding their own engine is a major challenge, so Laurent Mekies says it would be “naive” to think Red Bull will fight at the front of F1 in 2026.
F1 has overhauled the rulebook ahead of the 2026 season, with the new engine rules at the core of the regulations. F1 has removed the expensive MGU-H, introduced sustainable fuels and increased the electrical power share from 20/80, in favour of the ICE, to around 50/50.
Marko sees F1’s 2026 engine rules as an “advantage” for Verstappen, as the regulations will suit drivers who can manage their energy supply whilst racing flat-out the best. But Red Bull might need more than just Verstappen overcoming any shortcomings to retain him for 2027.
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