Max Verstappen's future in F1 remains in the spotlight this season. With Red Bull struggling to consistently deliver strong results, speculation about the four-time champion looking to switch teams has taken flight.

Verstappen has been heavily linked to Mercedes since mid-2025. The connection has only deepened because of his partnership with the German manufacturer in GT3.

However, former Red Bull driver David Coulthard believes it is Ferrari, not Mercedes, which will suit the Dutchman better. Speaking about this on the Up to Speed podcast, David Coulthard said, "I think that Max, actually as a shoo-in, fits better to the Ferrari world than the Mercedes world."

Coulthard explained his stance, adding, "I know that they have this good relationship, and I know that he's racing a Mercedes in the GT3 events that he does. But the actual freedom to be Max, I think he would be a more comfortable fit at Ferrari because you would just turn up, drive quickly, presumably win the races, and then head home."   

Max Verstappen had been previously linked with Mercedes because team principal Toto Wolff publicly spoke about having the four-time champ on board. However, last month, there were also fleeting rumors linking Verstappen to McLaren after his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, announced a 2028 move to the Woking-based team. 

As of now, the Red Bull driver remains under contract with the team until 2028, and he has spoken time and again about his commitment to the Milton Keynes-based team.

Improved performance could keep Max Verstappen at Red Bull

Before the Miami Grand Prix, F1 tweaked the engine regulations to dampen growing concerns about energy management. Moreover, Red Bull also brought a comprehensive upgrade package to the race, which helped Max Verstappen return to the front of the grid.

He qualified in second behind Kimi Antonelli for the feature race with a 0.166s gap. Though the race wasn't as good, with the Dutchman spinning on the first lap and eventually finishing fifth, the mood in the Red Bull camp was better because their upgrades worked.

While talking about his future in the sport in the aforementioned podcast, former W Series racer Naomi Schiff said Max Verstappen won't look anywhere else as long as Red Bull continues this improvement.

"But things are looking on the up, and I know that Max has said on a number of occasions that if things are going well at Red Bull, he doesn’t have any desire to leave," said Schiff. "I think the pressure is more so on Red Bull to make sure they do deliver and give him a car that he can win with so that he stays to the end of his contract."

However, more than Red Bull's performance, Max Verstappen's decision could come down to the regulation changes. He has been vocal about the drawbacks in the new regs and has not shied away from admitting that it could push him into retirement after 2026.

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Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Yask Kotak