Red Bull might have ‘poisoned’ Max Verstappen’s 2025 F1 title charge with one internal decision

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Max Verstappen’s golden Formula 1 window might just have ended as the championship enters a new dawn heading into 2026.

Ultimately, the Dutchman fell two points shy of winning five consecutive drivers’ championship titles, which would have matched the record set by Michael Schumacher between 2000 and 2004.

Looking to the future, there are a few questions around the Red Bull camp, particularly surrounding their new power unit for the 2026 F1 regulations.

They know that they cannot afford to miss the mark with it, otherwise, they risk letting Verstappen slip through their hands.

Fill in the gap: Max Verstappen will finish his F1 career with _____ titles

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F1 fans don’t expect Verstappen to win again, and clearly believe that the outlook for his future is a little bleak without Honda power.

Verstappen will have to change car number in 2026 now that he can no longer be the number one. There’s a chance that instead of returning to 33, he opts for three instead.

READ MORE: Damon Hill says Max Verstappen has ‘more respect’ for Oscar Piastri than Lando Norris

Red Bull might have ‘poisoned’ Max Verstappen’s 2025 title charge with Isack Hadjar announcement

Helmut Marko ‘never expected’ Verstappen to be so successful at the highest level, and it’s a shame that neither will get to work together next year.

For the first time in nearly a decade, there won’t be any sort of partnership between them at race weekends, as Marko left his role as an advisor last week.

Red Bull staff are ‘nervous’ about Verstappen leaving, and he could have multiple options on the table if he decides to hit the Formula 1 driver market next year.

According to PaddockGP, some see the announcement of Isack Hadjar as Verstappen’s teammate for 2026 as something that might have ‘poisoned’ the atmosphere within the team.

With the call being made just before the Abu Dhabi finale it means that it might have had an adverse effect on their environment and taken some focus away from the most important matter of all.

Now that he’s arguably in his prime, he should still have some of his best years ahead of him, but it’s still a shame for him that he came so close to completing the greatest comeback of all time.

READ MORE: Laurent Mekies will be on the phone to ‘phenomenal’ F1 driver if Max Verstappen leaves Red Bull

Where might Max Verstappen go if he leaves Red Bull in 2026?

Nico Rosberg expects Verstappen to be ‘impatient’ in 2026 and to look for a new opportunity quite quickly, if winning becomes difficult.

Having spent so much of his career at the top, it would be difficult to have to accept fighting in the midfield for a while. Lewis Hamilton knows what that can be like.

Verstappen ‘would not hesitate’ to join Aston Martin and reunite with ex-colleague and team principal Adrian Newey.

Mercedes are eyeing a move for Verstappen, too. It was a big part of the reason why they handed out late contract extensions this year. It seemed as though they might have been able to grab him for 2026.