Verstappen future shaped by McLaren, Mercedes and Aston Martin
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 15, 2026
Verstappen’s Red Bull future
Max Verstappen’s contract runs through 2028, but his long-term future with Red Bull remains unsettled, and an exit clause is still in play. The clause became relevant because Verstappen was lower than second in the standings at the summer break, and that gives him a path to leave earlier if the right opening comes along. He has not formally confirmed his Formula 1 plans for 2027, and that uncertainty has kept the paddock focused on where he could go next. Red Bull’s struggles have kept those questions alive, even as the FIA has described its engine as the “benchmark.” The team still has an important card of its own, too. Red Bull will run its own works engine developed with Ford, and that gives it a different case to make if Verstappen weighs stability against a fresh challenge elsewhere.
McLaren’s changing case
McLaren has emerged as the clearest possible destination outside Red Bull, and Guenther Steiner said Verstappen would only move for a team that is clearly better. Steiner also said McLaren is the only realistic option on the current Formula 1 grid, while Ferrari’s seats are already filled. That made McLaren the obvious name in the conversation, and Verstappen was reportedly in advanced talks with the team about a possible move for the 2027 season. The logic behind that link is straightforward. McLaren uses a Mercedes customer power unit, which puts it in a strong technical neighborhood even if it does not control its own engine program. Steiner’s view is that the picture has shifted since the Hungarian Grand Prix, when McLaren’s status as the best alternative became less certain. Even so, the team still sits at the center of the market because several front-running teams have already committed to their 2026 driver lineups, narrowing the path to a top seat for a driver of Verstappen’s stature.
Aston Martin’s push
Aston Martin has also entered the conversation as a possible future destination, and the team has a different set of selling points. Its factory facilities stand out, Adrian Newey’s arrival adds more weight to the pitch and Verstappen’s successful history with Honda strengthens the case. Those factors matter because any move away from Red Bull would have to offer more than a simple change of scenery. Verstappen would need proof that the team can deliver a better package across the board. That is why the broader market matters so much. Mercedes may already have “the next Max Verstappen” in Kimi Antonelli, which closes off one obvious route, and Ferrari’s lineup is already full. With several of the front-runners locked in for 2026, the field of realistic options tightens fast. Verstappen remains under contract to Red Bull, but the combination of an exit clause, team uncertainty and the limited number of seats at the top keeps his future one of Formula 1’s main storylines.
