Red Bull may include ‘unprecedented’ clause in new contract offer to Max Verstappen

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Max Verstappen’s recent driver market movements may be a ploy to extract better terms from Red Bull, according to a report.

Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, but that deal is known to include a performance-related exit clause. If he’s outside the top two in the standings by the summer break, which looks very likely, he can walk.

While Mercedes appear committed to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, Verstappen has held talks with McLaren. They are his likeliest destination should he leave, but there doesn’t appear to be an imminent prospect of Zak Brown changing his driver line-up.

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Red Bull may give Max Verstappen the shares that Christian Horner wanted

Given that there’s no obvious 2027 vacancy for Verstappen, it seems strange that he won’t publicly commit to Red Bull.

However, Motorsport.com have heard a theory in the paddock that Verstappen is putting ‘pressure’ on Red Bull to ‘secure an even better deal’. He is already one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.

But ‘sources’ suggest that Red Bull could offer Verstappen a stake in the team, potentially making him the most powerful F1 driver ever. This is ‘unprecedented’ in the modern era, and it’s unclear whether it would be a purely financial arrangement or whether it would give him formal veto power over team decisions.

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Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner sought team shares for ‘a long time’ before he was sacked last year, but Aston Martin extended such an offer to Adrian Newey when he became managing technical partner.

There had previously been whispers that Verstappen could receive a stake in Racing Bulls, the sister team, but this would make more sense and remove the conflict-of-interest question.

At this stage, it’s just a rumour that ‘cannot be ruled out’, but it shows the lengths Red Bull may be willing to go to. Verstappen has made clear that his preference is to retire with the team, as long as they remain competitive, and securing such a foothold would make that outcome infinitely more likely.