Verstappen says Red Bull must overhaul approach after losing 2026 title fight
The four-time world champion says Red Bull’s inconsistent car balance has left the team focused on learning for next season, while reported contract clauses keep his future under scrutiny.
Max Verstappen says Red Bull is no longer competing for the 2026 Formula 1 title and must concentrate on understanding its problems and finding performance for next year.
Speaking to BBC Sport around the Italian Grand Prix, Verstappen said the car lacked overall performance and did not feel right. He identified an inconsistent through-corner balance between entry, mid-corner and exit as a fundamental issue.
“Changes need to happen to the car for next year,” Verstappen said, adding that Red Bull would be unable to address the problem fully during the current season.
The comments come after Verstappen signed a two-year contract extension with Red Bull, which theoretically keeps him with the team until the end of 2030. The supplied report said the agreement still includes performance clauses that could allow him to consider leaving if Red Bull remains uncompetitive, although their wording and operation are not detailed.
Verstappen also discussed talks with McLaren, but the supplied interview extract provides no details about those discussions. He had recorded five podiums in 2026 without a race win at the time of the interview.
The driver said Red Bull was considering whether to make incremental changes or adopt a different development philosophy after personnel changes within the team.
