Max Verstappen is having discussions with McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin regarding a move for 2026 and beyond, according to FIA steward Derek Warwick. This will be a wake-up call for Christian Horner, whose Red Bull team are struggling to make inroads on their rivals. Verstappen has spent his entire F1 career within the Red Bull family, winning four consecutive Drivers’ Championship titles.

However, that run looks set to end in 2025 with the Dutchman now 49 points behind current leader Oscar Piastri, just nine rounds into the campaign. In fact, Red Bull sit fourth in the Constructors’ Championship standings, and the Milton Keynes squad are struggling to find a way to close the performance gap to Andrea Stella’s outfit. This has unsettled Verstappen’s future within the organisation, creating an interesting driver market opportunity for other top teams.

Some of the interested parties are well-reported. Aston Martin have been linked with a big-money move for the four-time world champion, while Mercedes chased his signature hard in 2024 and are yet to tie down their drivers for 2026, keeping a spot open for Verstappen.

According to FIA steward Warwick, they aren’t alone. “Well, obviously he's talking to every team, but when you say every team, that's only really McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, and maybe Aston Martin,” he told Plejmo.

“Aston would be a big gamble, but they do have Adrian Newey there. Mercedes will always be there or thereabouts, although they've had a lean period for them these last three years. If I was Mercedes, would I want to get rid of George or Kimi?

“I think the answer to that is no, but the trouble is when you've got arguably the fastest driver in Formula One knocking on your door, I think he can open most doors. I think the big, big paycheck would come from Aston Martin if that's what he's interested in. I think at the end of the day he'll stay at Red Bull."

While many have linked Verstappen with a move away from Red Bull to a rival, a surprise retirement from F1 is also on the cards. According to former mechanic Calum Nicholas, this could happen as soon as 2025.

During an interview on Lucas Stewart’s YouTube channel, Nicholas was asked how many titles Verstappen will win in F1. “Five,” he replied. “I think Max is going to win the Drivers’ [Championship] this year, and then I think he’s going to call it a day.”