Verstappen's exit clause might already have been activated.

      Max Verstappen might soon have the opportunity to exit his long-term contract with Red Bull. So far, it has been rumored that if he drops to P4 in the drivers’ standings by the end of July, it would activate a performance-based exit clause. However, former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos, who is familiar with Verstappen, has different information. He stated on the Pit Talk podcast, "He needs to be in the top two of the championship halfway through the year," which is currently not the case. "Trust me, that exit clause is now activated."

      This could explain the growing rumors linking the 27-year-old Verstappen to a possible move to Mercedes in 2026. Jos Verstappen, part of his son’s management team, had a significant clash with team boss Christian Horner last year. According to Auto Motor und Sport, the Verstappen camp's substantial influence over the team might now be pushing for either Horner's removal or a reduction in his authority. Many believe that if Verstappen were to leave, Red Bull could face serious difficulties. "Other teams are making improvements," Jos stated to Race Express. "Ferrari has introduced some solid upgrades. We know McLaren is consistently competitive, and Mercedes is somewhere in between."

      Regarding Red Bull’s latest upgrades, Verstappen's father added, "I don’t think it made that much difference. Just look at (Yuki) Tsunoda - he didn’t even make Q2. The speed is simply not there. Things are not going well enough."

      In the midst of the Austrian rumors, Max notably did not confirm he would remain at Red Bull in 2026. "The world champion is gradually getting tired of the weekly apology routine," claimed De Telegraaf. "It's no coincidence that Verstappen hasn't stated he will definitely race for Red Bull next season."

      When asked about his future last weekend, Verstappen remarked, "I don’t have much to say about it. The more I say, the more it will be reported," he told Viaplay. "You can interpret that as you wish. I prefer not to say much more on the topic."

      Horner contends that the renewed speculation regarding Verstappen is being fueled by Mercedes and George Russell. Some even speculate that Russell may have already received a contract extension behind the scenes. "George isn’t exploring other options aggressively enough," Horner suggested. "If he were truly concerned about his position, he would be looking around. We focus on ourselves," Horner added to Viaplay. "We are aware of Max's situation and his contract. The rest are rumors, which do not originate from Max."

      Many believe that Verstappen is not only disheartened by the lack of progress at Red Bull but also anxious that Mercedes will have a distinctly superior power unit under the new regulations. Dr. Helmut Marko maintains that the internal Red Bull-Ford project is on track. "We can’t prove that to him, but nobody can," the team advisor remarked.

      Publicly, Verstappen is keeping quiet. "I just want to focus on my work and not put any pressure on anyone," he insisted. "I aim to do my best, then go home and engage in other activities before the next race. I’m not thinking more now than I did last year or in previous years. I’m very relaxed about everything. What people say here doesn’t concern me that much. I determine my own future."

      However, Marko does not conceal that considerable discussions are taking place behind the scenes. "Everyone is talking to everyone," the 82-year-old Austrian admitted. "As everyone knows, Max has a contract with us until 2028. To keep him satisfied and on board, we need to provide him with a competitive car. That is not entirely the case at the moment, but we are getting close. If he believes he can win with us, he will stay."