Sky UK: Verstappen-McLaren, contacts sought by Max’s entourage. Brown: “If someone slips when getting out of the tub…”

Verstappen, McLaren hypothesis The Austrian GP could be important for the continuation of the marriage between Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The updates brought to the track by the Milton Keynes team allowed the Dutchman to go one corner from the possible front row and come close to winning his home race. Above all, they could reduce the market “bomb” launched by the Daily Mail that the four-time world champion is in negotiations with McLaren, where he would find his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. The existence of a secret negotiation was denied by Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen, who however left every door open: the Dutchman’s stay in Red Bull is only guaranteed if the team gives him a competitive car. In this sense, the home GP can give Red Bull some more hope and convince the #3 to stay and abandon the McLaren track. A lead which, as our colleagues from Sky UK report, was precisely Verstappen’s entourage seeking: “According to what we have learned, these talks would have been initiated by the driver’s representatives and not by McLaren. It is absolutely normal for teams and drivers to exchange opinions, especially at this time of year. The interesting aspect of the negotiations with McLaren is that, since Verstappen’s future became the subject of discussion in 2024, the papayas have never been considered a realistic destination for him.” Brown’s words CEO Zak Brown commented with a joke on the rapprochement between the Dutchman and McLaren, referring to the drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri: “If for some strange reason someone were to slip on a banana peel while getting out of the tub, well, yes, of course, Max is a four-time world champion.” Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull expires at the end of 2028. As in all agreements, however, there are clauses for an early exit. The Dutchman could decide to leave the team as early as 2027 if he is not in the top two positions of the drivers’ championship at the summer break at the end of July.

Automobile Magazine – Formula1 English, News

2026-06-30 17:30:00