Max Verstappen: ‘We’re not here to make TikToks, we’re here to win’
Max Verstappen opted against shutting down speculation regarding his future when he spoke to the media on Thursday in Belgium.
Never mind the age-old saying about not being in F1 to make up the numbers, Max Verstappen is not here to make “TikToks”, he is here to win.
As Formula 1 entered a new era with both the chassis and engine regulations revised, Verstappen and Red Bull faced a bigger challenge than most as 2026 marked the first year that Red Bull ran its own in-house power unit.
Max Verstappen explains Red Bull’s winning mentality
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.
Built in conjunction with Ford, the Red Bull Powertrains’ internal combustion engine has since been declared the benchmark of the field.
A decision that meant that even though Mercedes seemingly had the best power unit, Red Bull was not given an engine ADUO [Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities] whereas Mercedes was granted one additional upgrade.
But the results on the track clearly point to Mercedes’ superiority.
F1 2026: The season’s winners and losers
The results of the F1 2026 championship
The F1 2026 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings
Red Bull, though, has begun to close the gap with its chassis updates, with Verstappen recording three podiums in the last four race weekends.
The four-time world champion entered the summer break with a runner-up result at the Hungarian Grand Prix, a race in which his P2 was challenged by championship leader Kimi Antonelli and also his 2021 nemesis Lewis Hamilton.
He, though, has yet to win a Grand Prix.
Asked if 2026 had been a ‘bumpy ride’, Verstappen told Viaplay’s Chiel van Koldenhoven: “You can say that, yes.
“Of course, it started pretty badly. We had quite a few problems. We also had some good moments in between, like Austria, where we could almost fight for the win.
“So there have been some positive moments, but in general quite a lot of things that went wrong.
“Of course we can be proud of what we have done, and we certainly are, but we are not there yet. We want more. We want to win, and we want to dominate.
“That is, of course, always the aim.”
Although Verstappen is up to sixth in the drivers’ standings, 100 points down on Antonelli in a championship in which he overhauled a 102-point deficit last season to finish second, he says he’s not in F1 to make TikTok videos.
He’s here to win, simple as that.
“That’s nice, of course, but it doesn’t get me excited,” said the 71-time Grand Prix winner. “We’re not just here to make TikToks and do fun things.
“We are only here to win.”
Verstappen’s comments come as the Dutch racer officially took control of an exit clause in his Red Bull contract.
Verstappen can, if he wishes, leave Red Bull at the end of this season as he was not second in the standings as F1 entered the summer break.
But while he has been in negotiations with McLaren, Verstappen is understood to be wanting to stay with his “second family”, Red Bull.
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read Next: Isack Hadjar slams ‘worst’ circuit reality under F1 2026 rules
