Kimi Raikkonen once made a ‘massive’ Max Verstappen prediction that came true after Lewis Hamilton clash

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Max Verstappen was a fairly polarising prospect when he arrived in Formula 1 just over a decade ago with Toro Rosso.

While his talents were exciting, at times, he exceeded the limit, and his rivals didn’t like that. Particularly, his strong approach to defending drew criticism.

A promotion to Red Bull in 2016 saw him begin to mix with the bigger names in the sport, but his aggressive style was a major talking point. Formula 1 hadn’t seen anything like it for a while.

While Verstappen has made minor adjustments through the years, a big part of why he has won four consecutive drivers’ championships is his driving style. It works very well for him.

The current Formula 1 driver market is both crazy and unpredictable. Mercedes want to sign Verstappen, but he’s under contract until 2028 with Red Bull. Forcing his way out wouldn’t be easy.

Verstappen has privately complained about an issue within his team, and he doesn’t feel like he is being listened to. It isn’t a good sign for their hopes of keeping him in the long term.

READ MORE: Carlos Sainz rejects the toxic comment Red Bull have made about his relationship with Max Verstappen

Kimi Raikkonen warned Max Verstappen would have a ‘massive accident’ before Lewis Hamilton clash

Verstappen’s Red Bull contract is changing for 2026, and it could make his path out of the team easier, with clauses raising the expectation for performance levels.

Where he ends up is anyone’s guess, but it’s unlikely to be as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate, after their monster battle during the 2021 season saw the Dutchman reign supreme.

While they clashed multiple times that season, the most significant of them all came at the British Grand Prix, when both refused to back off at Copse corner.

Hanging around the outside, Verstappen was clipped and sent into the wall. It’s something that Kimi Raikkonen may have predicted at the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix, after a strong defence by the Red Bull driver.

“If I had not braked, we would have had a massive accident,” he told BBC Sport. “It will happen sooner or later if this doesn’t change. I am fine with good, hard racing but that is not correct.”

READ MORE: Ralf Schumacher says ‘it’s no coincidence’ what Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff are now doing before the next F1 race

Why Red Bull stand a greater chance of keeping Max Verstappen in 2026 now

Christian Horner’s Red Bull sacking sent shockwaves through the paddock last week. It was a move which is still hard to understand.

Nothing specific has been cited for his release, but it’s a move which could end up helping the team keep their superstar driver.

Red Bull designers ignored ‘undriveable’ warnings before Horner’s sacking, and it’s something which may have been frustrating Verstappen.

Horner had a lot of power, and the hope is that it will be spread among more individuals in the future, particularly ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations.

If the team listens to their four-time champion driver, there’s no reason why they won’t be at the top of the pack again in the near future.