Red Bull already know the extra consequences they’ll face if Max Verstappen triggers his exit clause

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It is no secret that Max Verstappen has a performance-related exit clause in his Red Bull contract, but a departure for the Dutchman could mean a lot more for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, on top of losing one of the best drivers on the grid.

Since the links between Max Verstappen and Mercedes ramped up during 2025, it came to light that the Dutchman has an exit clause in his Red Bull contract that he can trigger if he is outside the top two in the F1 standings at the summer break.

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He currently sits in P7 of the drivers’ championship following the recent Barcelona Grand Prix, 60 points off Lewis Hamilton in second place. Only four rounds remain until the factory shutdown, making a resurgence in that span of time highly unlikely.

However, due to Verstappen’s status as a four-time world champion in the sport, a unique skillset isn’t the only thing that he provides Red Bull with, and the team is reportedly already aware that they will be losing a lot more than a ‘top driver’ if he does opt to leave.

• READ MORE: Red Bull have given Max Verstappen a major new incentive to announce he’s staying

Red Bull will lose much more than just a ‘top driver’ if Max Verstappen triggers exit clause

F1 journalist Erik van Haren has shed some more light on the 28-year-old’s current situation at Red Bull. Of course, since the current ruleset came into force at the beginning of the year, Verstappen has threatened an exit on multiple occasions.

Speaking via Telesport, van Haren outlined how the Austrian constructor is currently desperately awaiting confirmation that he will remain a Red Bull driver for the rest of his contract, which is set to keep him at the team until 2028.

“For Red Bull’s decision-makers, they would love nothing more than for Max Verstappen to say right now, ‘I’m staying at Red Bull’ because then there would be peace of mind,” he said.

“They could then recruit new staff behind the scenes, as they become more attractive, to sponsors as well. Verstappen is simply the biggest asset. As they say in English, the big draw. He’s the one who really carries that team.

“So if they lose him, they simply lose a great deal. Not just a top driver, but everything that goes with it. Verstappen, of course, has a rolling contract. By now, of course, he’s got a clause in there.

• READ MORE: Max Verstappen demanded special Red Bull contract clause amid ‘apprehension’ about 2026 rules

“He can actually trigger that for the first time this year, because you have to do that in the summer, and he’s currently seventh in the standings.”

In a testament to the Red Bull ace’s public figure, it was previously reported that McLaren chief Zak Brown would love to sign Verstappen due to the commercial success that he would bring to the team.