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Red Bull are now worried that Max Verstappen may retire from F1 at the end of 2026, should he leave but not join McLaren, amid reports of a likely swap with Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen brought his own future at Red Bull into doubt earlier this season when the four-time champion suggested he might retire from F1 due to his hatred for the new regulations. The ongoing issues that Red Bull have so far faced with the 2026 rules have also not helped.
Speaking at Silverstone on Sunday after Verstappen spun out of the British Grand Prix due to a suspected issue with his rear wing not shutting fully after using straight mode, he admitted that he is “really fed up” having had a similar “dangerous” crash during qualifying in Austria.
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Red Bull fear Max Verstappen retiring would leave them picking between Liam Lawson or Arvid Lindblad
Red Bull’s woes also now mean Verstappen will get from August until October to activate his release clause, as it is now mathematically impossible for him to hit the 2026 summer break in the top two of the F1 drivers’ championship – which is the criterion for the release clause.
READ MORE: The five worst moments of Max Verstappen’s career in Formula 1
The situation at Red Bull has even now sparked reports that Verstappen is close to agreeing a deal to join McLaren, which would free Piastri to replace the Dutchman. That seat swap is being widely refuted, however, but Red Bull are worried that Verstappen might leave them.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, in fact, ‘concern’ is rife at Red Bull that Verstappen may simply decide to retire from F1 this year due to the lack of competitive options elsewhere in 2027. Verstappen retiring would then likely force Red Bull to promote either of Liam Lawson or rookie star Arvid Lindblad from sister team Racing Bulls to partner Isack Hadjar next year.
Red Bull do not take Verstappen’s public complaints as empty threats and fear this year may be his final term in Formula 1. But Red Bull also know that Lawson or Lindblad would not be able to fill Verstappen’s ‘immense’ void should they have to move either into their top team.
Lawson also ‘disappointed’ Red Bull’s management with his brief two-round spell driving for the team at the start of the 2025 season. So, there is at least a degree of reluctance to offer the 24-year-old a second chance, even if it would let them put Nikola Tsolov at Racing Bulls.
What would Liam Lawson have achieved if he was given more time at Red Bull?
Red Bull were a one-man team with Verstappen throughout 2025, as Lawson struggled with their unbalanced car around two circuits that he had never raced at in Australia and China. Yuki Tsunoda then also failed to make the grade and is now Red Bull’s reserve driver in 2026.
Lawson’s failings in the RB21 were so severe, after qualifying last for the F1 Sprint and Grand Prix in China, that even rebuilding his reputation with Racing Bulls may not be enough to get a second chance at Red Bull. While Lawson’s consistency was his downfall in 2025, the Kiwi has now scored points in seven of the last eight Grands Prix this season – including two P6s.
Only Lawson’s crash with Alpine driver Pierre Gasly in the Miami GP due to a gearbox failure under braking has prevented the New Zealander from taking points in the past eight Grands Prix. Lawson even leads Lindblad 6-3 in qualifying and 7-2 for race results so far this season.
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