The Christian Horner card ‘hint’ amid ‘clickbait’ Max Verstappen rumour

Now that Max Verstappen has confirmed that he intends to remain with Red Bull Racing through 2026, pundit Martin Brundle has branded suggestions that Verstappen met up with Toto Wolff in Sardinia as being “clickbait.”

But what’s next for Verstappen? Brundle believes he’ll reevaluate his options once cars get on track for the first test sessions of 2026.

Max Verstappen Sardinia rumours pure “clickbait”

It’s official: Max Verstappen will remain with Red Bull Racing for the F1 2026 season — an outcome that the driver himself claimed was inevitable, given his contract with the team.

But why all the rumours? Why all the speculation about a potential move in the future?

Much of that comes down to the nature of Formula 1’s always-on news cycle. Statements from Toto Wolff that he’d naturally spoken to Verstappen regarding a potential seat at Mercedes for the F1 2026 season, followed by George Russell’s confirmation of the same and the ongoing lack of a signed contract for both drivers at the Silver Arrows, and many began to wonder: Could a move happen?

Red Bull Racing’s performance in 2026 has not been particularly stellar. While Verstappen still sits third in the drivers’ standings, it will take a miracle for him to catch up with the McLaren duo, and that downturn has resulted in plenty of speculation regarding his future.

So, another seat on the F1 2026 grid is confirmed. But what comes next?

More on Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing:

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👉 Martin Brundle crowns Jos Verstappen Red Bull team principal in new Horner sack claim

Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle provided his own analysis in the build-up to FP1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix: 2026 is settled, but 2027 could present a whole new game.

“Red Bull were never going to play the card with Christian Horner without ensuring that meant Max is going to stay,” Brundle explained, referring to the sacking of Red Bull’s longtime CEO and team principal just after the British Grand Prix.

“So that was as clear as day. Max has chosen, on a number of occasions, not to confirm anything of where he’s going.”

But Brundle also took a moment to mention the much-rumoured Sardinian liaison, where Verstappen’s jet tracking information placed him in Sardinia — where Toto Wolff’s yacht was also stationed. Per Ralf Schumacher, this signalled a meeting for coffee… and potentially to discuss the future.

Brundle’s not buying it.

“Of course, the whole nonsense about yachts and holidays — they all live in Monaco,” he explained.

“They only need to cross the street if they want to have a chat about a contract, so that all got brewed up on the internet and the clickbait.”

With Verstappen’s 2026 sorted, then, it’s all about what happens next; Brundle believes that the driver will “take a view, see what happens.

“The crystal ball has never been more opaque for a Formula 1 driver because of the changes with the chassis and the power unit for 2026; who’s going to get it right?

“He knows that there will be a Ferrari seat at least, a Mercedes seat, a Red Bull seat, and probably an Aston Martin seat available to him for ’27.”

The pecking order is sure to change with the introduction of sweeping power unit, aerodynamic, and chassis regulations, and as Brundle finished, it’s impossible to determine how the field will shake out “until they get out on track.”

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