Mekies Admits Uncertainty Over Keeping Verstappen at Red Bull

Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies has conceded that Max Verstappen's future with the team is far from certain, despite the four-time champion being locked in until 2028. Verstappen currently sits seventh in the 2026 standings, a distant 60 points behind second place, leaving him in real danger of triggering an exit clause before the August summer break if Red Bull cannot deliver a competitive car.

Why it matters:

Losing Verstappen would be a catastrophic blow for a team already struggling to recapture its former dominance. His exit clause—activated if he remains outside the top two at the summer break—puts immense pressure on Red Bull to prove they can halt their slide and give him a car capable of winning again.

The Details:

• Verstappen's deal contains a performance-related exit clause for 2027, meaning he could walk away if the championship picture doesn't improve within weeks.
• Through seven rounds, he has managed just a single podium and sits 60 points adrift of Lewis Hamilton in second, with Mercedes and McLaren setting the pace.
• Red Bull has rolled out a major upgrade package in Austria, but Mekies warned the team will need time to dial in the new parts and shouldn't be judged on this weekend alone.
• Mekies stated that Verstappen "wants a fast car" and understands the difficulty of recovering a full second deficit, but needs to see a clear upward trajectory in lap time.
• Market Speculation: Links to McLaren have intensified after it was confirmed that Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join the Woking squad in 2028, raising questions about whether the driver could follow.

What's next:

Everything hinges on whether Red Bull can slash its deficit to within "two or three tenths" in the races leading up to the summer break. Mekies says he isn't asking Verstappen about his future every week, yet the message is clear: deliver the lap times, or risk losing the driver who defined their championship era.