There’s been a lot of talk lately about whether Max Verstappen might actually leave Red Bull, even though he has a contract with the team until 2028. On paper, that sounds unlikely but in Formula 1, things change quickly, especially when there’s drama inside a team.

Red Bull is no longer dominating like it did not so long ago. In fact they now can't keep up with McLaren and sometimes even Ferrari or Mercedes. In 2025 so far, Max hasn’t won a single race, and the car isn't the fastest on the grid anymore. What’s more, it seems extremely difficult to drive unless you’re Verstappen with some people suggesting that the car has been developed around his driving style, which has worked in the past but now looks like a weakness.

One big story this season has been the strange situation with Red Bull’s second driver. After the team dropped Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson was given the seat at the start of the season. But just two races in, Lawson was demoted to Racing Bulls and Yuki Tsunoda was suddenly promoted to the main Red Bull seat, just before his home race in Japan.

This quick switch surprised many people, and it’s been widely reported that Max wasn’t happy about it. He’s said to support Lawson, and the way the situation was handled has only added to the sense that something’s not quite right within the team. His father, Jos Verstappen, has also spoken openly about his concerns with the leadership at Red Bull.

These issues have led to increasing speculation about Max’s future. Mercedes is always mentioned in these conversations. Team boss Toto Wolff has said he’s happy with his current drivers, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, but he’s also hinted that Verstappen is the kind of driver any team would want.

Perhaps even more intriguing is Aston Martin, a team with big ambitions. From 2026, they’ll be powered by Honda, the same engine supplier that helped Max win all his world titles with Red Bull. And even bigger news: Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s legendary car designer, has officially left the team and joined Aston Martin. He’s already working on their 2026 car and is a shareholder in the team.

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has suggested Aston could be Verstappen’s next team. “I think Max will get an offer he can’t refuse from Aston Martin… Everything he has won with is there,” he told Vision4Sport. Montoya believes Max may give Red Bull one more year but warned, “If Red Bull struggles, it wouldn’t surprise me if by race three Max has already signed with somebody else.”

Ralf Schumacher shares a similar view. “Red Bull is falling apart,” he said, speaking to Bild. “Verstappen is keeping the business going with his performances. They’ve lost many top players, and things are simmering internally. The fact that Verstappen is still staying so cool is insane.”

He believes a departure is on the horizon: “Verstappen will leave Red Bull. Aston Martin would tailor everything to him. He would probably get the same status as at Red Bull. I don’t see that happening at Mercedes, because Toto Wolff wants to promote Antonelli.”

So while Verstappen is still under contract until 2028, the situation is far from simple. The car isn’t winning, the team is unsettled, and key people have already started to leave. For now, Max is still with Red Bull but more than ever, it feels like a big decision could be coming.