Max Verstappen to seal F1 future after Spanish GP with key contract development
Aston Martin and Mercedes have been strongly linked with Max Verstappen but the clause in his contract which may allow him to leave Red Bull at the end of this year will soon expire
Max Verstappen is set to remain at Red Bull in 2026 with the contract clause causing so much speculation over his future soon to expire. The Dutchman signed his current contract at the start of 2022, after his first title win.
Now aged 27 and a four-time Formula 1 champion, Verstappen still has three more seasons on that Red Bull deal after this one. But that hasn't stopped constant speculation over his future thanks to the widely-known existence of a crucial performance clause.
It would allow Verstappen to leave if certain conditions were not met by the team. Such clauses are common as drivers want to ensure they can continue to drive competitive machinery and, with Red Bull no longer the omnipotent force in F1, speculation has suggested he could quit for Mercedes or Aston Martin.
But it is now more likely than ever that the Dutchman will remain with Red Bull for at least another year. That is because the contract clause which could have allowed him to consider his options is set to expire.
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As reported by Autosport, it is understood that the clause which would allow Verstappen to walk away from his Red Bull contract based on performance is set to expire at the end of June. So as long as he remains in the top four in the drivers' standings until then, he will not be able to break his contract this year.
Verstappen is currently third in the championship on 136 points. Crucially, though, he is 57 clear of Charles Leclerc who currently occupies fifth place, making it highly unlikely that he will drop out of the top four over the next few weeks.
There are three events to be held between now and the expiry of that contract clause. With a maximum of 50 points up for grabs across the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix, it means Verstappen's future could be sealed after this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.
If Verstappen remains 50 points or more clear of Leclerc – or whoever is in fifth place – by the conclusion of the action in Barcelona, then his future will be effectively sealed. Even if the gap is slightly narrower then, realistically, the four-time champion would need to finish outside the points in both the Canada and Austria races for there to be any chance of him slipping out of the top four by the end of June.
Meanwhile, Verstappen hinted at where his long-term future may lie away from F1 this week by confirming he had successfully obtained a Platinum driver rating from the FIA, which allows him to compete in GT or sports car racing.
"I applied," he told reporters in Barcelona, weeks after he was spotted testing a Ferrari GT car on the fearsome Nurburgring Nordschleife. "I have to do it at some point, so I better got it out of the way. I mean, it's super easy, it's just a form that you fill in and you pay and a week later you have the answer. I was secretly hoping for a Bronze rating; I might appeal the Platinum and get Silver at least."
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