Max Verstappen’s manager details ‘only’ way he can complete F1 career with Red Bull

Max Verstappen has already made it clear that should he complete his entire Formula 1 career with Red Bull, he would reflect on that as a great story.

His manager Raymond Vermeulen is on board, agreeing that would be a “fantastic story” for the reigning four-time World Champion. However, Red Bull has been warned by Vermeulen that the “only” way this happens is if the team provides winning machinery, with the huge F1 2026 rules revamp coming into view.

Can Max Verstappen see out F1 career with Red Bull?

As was the case a year prior, Verstappen to Mercedes rumours bubbled back up ahead of the F1 2025 summer break. The latest rumours were sparked by George Russell, who claimed that “ongoing” talks between Verstappen and Mercedes were influencing his path to a new deal.

Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix – the final round before the summer break – Verstappen underscored his F1 2026 commitment to Red Bull.

If he has it his way, the Dutchman will go his entire F1 career racing with only Red Bull. Having made his debut in 2015 with junior team Toro Rosso, Verstappen made his winning senior team debut at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, and has won four World Championships with the squad thus far.

“I always said to the team it would be ideal, and I think they think the same way, to finish off my career in Formula 1 with one team,” said Verstappen.

“I think that would be something amazing, and that’s what we are still trying to achieve.”

But, if Red Bull wants to keep Verstappen until the end of his F1 tenure, Vermeulen says the machinery provided must be up to scratch.

Chassis and engine rules will be overhauled for F1 2026, potentially creating significant shifts in the pecking order.

“Everything could change next year with the new regulations,” Vermeulen noted in conversation with De Telegraaf. “So it’s better to wait and see how things develop and who is where. Based on that, you can then look further ahead.

“This is nothing new, you know. In 2016, we moved from Toro Rosso to Red Bull, and later from Renault to Honda in terms of engines. Those are all moments when you think: ‘What’s going to happen now?’ Those are developments that the three of us – Max, Jos [Verstappen] and I – are constantly monitoring. And Max ultimately has the final say.

“It would be a fantastic story if he drove his entire Formula 1 career for Red Bull. But that will only happen if he has the equipment to win.”

How the F1 2026 season is shaping up

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Red Bull is an especially intriguing team to watch in F1 2026, as it goes racing with its own engine for the first time, developed in partnership with US giant Ford.

With electrical energy management expected to become an increasingly critical performance tool next year, Vermeulen was asked if there is a worst case scenario where Verstappen ends up with no chance of F1 2026 success.

“Yes, that’s possible,” he admitted. “But that could also apply to others.

“It would have been a huge gamble if he had signed a contract somewhere else for next year. There are no guarantees whatsoever. Everyone is making predictions, but they are all assumptions.

“Next year, it’s not just about the engine, but also about the chassis. And which people will be recruited here, what impact will that have? It’s a kind of puzzle you’re putting together. Hence the conclusion that it’s better to stay for at least another year.

“Max wants to win more championships in the future. He’s not done yet in that regard, but he is dependent on the equipment. So I think 2026 will be a very important year, which will determine where his future lies in Formula 1.”

Verstappen has already set the target of hitting the ground running with F1’s new regulations. He expects Red Bull to still be competing at the sharp end of the grid next year.

“I’m very focused on ’26 with the team, to look ahead and make sure that we nail the regulations, and that we are competitive from the start,” he declared to the Formula 1 website.

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