Karun Chandhok explains why Red Bull staff are now ‘nervous’ about Max Verstappen leaving in 2026

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Red Bull Racing saw further proof in 2025, if they needed it already, that Max Verstappen is the team’s greatest asset.

The 2025 F1 season has seen the biggest changes in Red Bull’s history take place within the team.

Max Verstappen finished within two points of winning a fifth drivers’ championship, while senior figures within the team departed, a new car was being developed for 2026, and power unit suppliers Honda were preparing to move on with Ford taking their place.

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Christian Horner left after two decades and has now been followed out of the door by Helmut Marko.

Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, might take up a new role as well, while the Dutchman had two teammates in 2025 and a third different driver in the form of Isack Hadjar arriving next season.

Despite all of this, Verstappen seemed more content than ever following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, despite not completing one of Formula 1’s greatest comebacks.

However, former F1 driver and pundit Karun Chandhok has shared what Red Bull staff are privately worried about when it comes to Verstappen’s future despite his recent positivity.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Red Bull staff ‘nervous’ that Max Verstappen won’t enjoy F1’s 2026 regulation changes

Chandhok was a guest on The F1 Show following the season finale in Abu Dhabi. He said: “I think there’s also a consideration as to how much Max will enjoy the new generation of cars.

“And I know there are a few people at Red Bull who said to me, I was at the airport in Sao Paulo chatting with some of them at the gate.

“And they were all a bit nervous, saying, actually, I’m concerned Max just might not enjoy F1 in 2026 as much.

“And that might be tricky because it is a very different style of racing.

“So they hope that’s not the case. But, if that is the case, it might favour whoever’s in the other car and in this case, Hadjar. So let’s see.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links

Max Verstappen warns fans that 2026 pre-season testing will be boring

Verstappen has seen the most important factors in his success at Red Bull virtually all move on over the past two years.

Adrian Newey will be reunited with Honda at Aston Martin next year, Audi have signed his chief mechanic, Matt Caller, and a ruleset that has delivered him more success than nearly every driver in F1 history has ever experienced.

Many people in F1 think the upcoming regulation changes will see the teams with the best power units dominate, piling pressure on Red Bull’s new partnership with Ford.

Verstappen has been impressed by Red Bull’s engine work behind the scenes, but until it can be compared to what other teams are doing, he won’t want to get carried away.

Testing begins at the end of January, giving teams very little chance to switch off and recover from a gruelling campaign before an even longer season begins.

Verstappen has warned fans that Red Bull’s testing program might be boring, but that’s more due to the lack of running than any predictions about how Formula 1’s new cars will drive.

However, if he’s not enthralled by the rule changes, and more importantly, Red Bull aren’t competitive, then the team’s early worries about his future might end up coming true.