Red Bull are now ‘playing’ a 2026 card to try and convince Max Verstappen to stay with the team

Follow us on Google Discover

Max Verstappen will race for Red Bull in 2026 after speculation that he could seek an early exit from his contract. The team are trying everything they can to keep the Dutchman on board.

Mercedes were heavily linked with Verstappen earlier in the year as he expressed frustration towards Red Bull’s regression in technical development. It is believed to be a factor in why Christian Horner was sacked as team principal, but Verstappen’s camp has rubbished claims that he pushed him out.

With Laurent Mekies now at the helm, Red Bull have seen an upturn in form, with the Dutchman claiming back-to-back race wins in Monza and Baku. Verstappen is 69 points behind Oscar Piastri, potentially putting him back in the title hunt.

Red Bull are giving the four-time champion more freedom in the technical department. Verstappen felt he was being ignored with his concerns about the RB21 – Mekies now seems to be taking them on board to improve the car.

Mekies has given Verstappen ‘real desire’ to push forward with Red Bull again amid reports that he could use his exit clause to leave his contract early. The Milton Keynes outfit are ‘playing’ another card to keep him beyond 2026.

Red Bull are using GT3 races as a ‘card’ to convince Max Verstappen to stay beyond 2026

Verstappen has more favourable exit clauses in 2026, allowing him to leave Red Bull before his deal expires in 2028 if he is unsatisfied with next year’s car.

Recently, the 27-year-old made his endurance racing debut at the Nurburgring, winning an NLS race with Chris Lulham in a Ferrari 296 GT3 on Saturday. Helmut Marko has confirmed that Verstappen will race at the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring next year.

The Dutchman is an avid fan of sports car racing and has been given the freedom to branch out and compete in other categories. According to journalist Roberto Chinchero, this is a ‘card’ Red Bull are playing to keep him in Milton Keynes.

Asked why Red Bull have not stood in the way of Verstappen’s choice to race GT3, he told Motorsport Italia: “Because today Max has a lot of power within Red Bull. But I mean, it’s a status he has earned on the field.

“Today at Red Bull, they tremble at the mere idea that Max might leave the team. So, maybe right now they don’t have the best car to offer him, although we’ll see what happens in Singapore, but they can offer him freedom where other teams don’t give you freedom.

“And that’s a card Red Bull is playing. You see, if you’re here, you can do things that you might not be able to do elsewhere.

“In the end, it’s the team’s decision, but I think, I repeat, it’s one, and it’s also a weapon that Red Bull is using to its advantage to convince Max to stay with the team in the future.”

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

Why GT3 races will not be enough to convince Max Verstappen to stay at Red Bull

Red Bull are using Verstappen’s GT3 exploits to show him that he may not have the same freedom at other teams. Karun Chandhok says McLaren would never let their drivers race in other categories and take any risks outside of F1.

The reality is that Red Bull still have a lot of work to do in F1 to convince their star driver to stay put. They will roll out their in-house power unit in 2026, but Verstappen’s camp have expressed doubt about its competitiveness.

Verstappen’s exit clauses allow him to leave if he is not in the top two of the championship. While his form has improved in recent races, his current position of P3 would give him the freedom to explore other options.

Red Bull are heading in the right direction under Mekies. But if next year’s car and power unit do not meet Verstappen’s expectations, GT3 races may not be enough to tempt him to stay as he strives to achieve his fifth world championship.