Jos Verstappen believes his son, Max Verstappen, will consider leaving Red Bull if the Milton Keynes squad cannot help him fight for a Drivers’ Championship title during the 2025 season.
The Dutchman clinched his fourth successive world title with two rounds to spare in 2024, but the fight was much more brutal than the statistics suggest. Verstappen won just two of the final 14 Grands Prix, and Red Bull slumped to third in the Constructors’ Championship standings.
While Verstappen is the reigning champion heading into the 2025 campaign, Red Bull are far from favourites to recover the Constructors’ Championship. McLaren and Ferrari are expected to turn up in Melbourne with stronger machinery, giving their drivers a shot at ending the 27-year-old’s dynasty.
If Red Bull can no longer compete at the highest level, Verstappen’s future will once again be a topic of debate. “Red Bull must build a car that is no longer so difficult to drive,” his father told Münchner Merkurtz. If you look at the second half of 2024, you can’t be optimistic. Red Bull has a big task ahead of them in 2025.”
He continued: “Anything is possible. He can stay at Red Bull if he sees the point. His goal is to win races. If he feels that this is no longer possible at Red Bull, a switch is not out of the question.”
If Red Bull’s struggles continue and Verstappen’s future looks doubtful, at least two teams will look to capitalise. Mercedes and Aston Martin have been heavily linked with the Dutchman’s services, with Toto Wolff and Lawrence Stroll on tenterhooks waiting for updates on the four-time champion’s availability.
Verstappen shut down speculation when asked about links to Aston Martin at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “No, we haven’t talked about it at all,” he said. “Nothing at all. No. That is very clear.
“I know that in 2026, the rules will change, but to be honest, I’m not worried about it now. I’m still young, and a lot can change in the future. And I don’t just think about Formula One. Afterwards, there are a lot of other things I would like to do.”
Addressing the Mercedes links, he added: “Look, of course, we always talk to each other. And I don’t lie about the fact that we’ve sat together. We had very constructive conversations, I think everyone has always been very honest and open with each other.
“But on the other hand, I am also very loyal to my own team, and I just feel at home there. So, then, there is actually not much to achieve at the moment. I am still very young, so a lot can still happen in the future.”
