F1: Where in the world will Max Verstappen go if Red Bull ticks him off?

A new storm is brewing after a year of internal warfare that threatened to up-end the contract of the sport’s most prized asset.

Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 is a topic that refuses to settle down in the paddock.

Once again, the Dutchman finds himself orbiting around a team that, for all its dominance this decade, seems unable to hold itself together behind the curtain.

Last March, internal warfare nearly saw Verstappen walk. Now, whispers of him jumping ship have returned.

Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every qualifying session and race in the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™, LIVE in 4K with no ad-breaks during racing. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

The car is inconsistent compared to the dominant McLarens and while the most prized driver in the sport has insisted he’s “relaxed” and only focused on moving forward in 2025.

Helmut Marko’s presence remains one pillar keeping Verstappen grounded at Red Bull, but contractual escape routes are already in place.

One clause reportedly allows Verstappen to exit if he’s outside the top three in the standings by mid-season — a possibility that’s swung wildly across the first five rounds.

Bahrain proved to be a disaster for the team and while a second place in Jeddah was better, it was clear the Red Bull outfit has slipped below its mythical peaks seen in 2023.

“A lot of people are talking about it, except me,” Verstappen said Thursday in Jeddah. “I just want to focus on my car, work with the people in the team. That’s the only thing that I’m thinking about in F1 at the moment. I’m very relaxed.”

There is a line of suitors out the door waiting to pounce on the moment Verstappen chooses to jump ship. After 10 years at the Red Bull outfit, fans are eager to see what Verstappen can do for another team pushing for the top spot.

Max Verstappen’s future in F1 is a topic that refuses to settle down in the paddock.(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

It’s a tense period for Christian Horner. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)

Having missed out for 2025, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has reportedly already begun sketching the outlines of his next move. Neither George Russell nor Kimi Antonelli are locked in beyond this season, and Mercedes is banking on a regulation reboot in 2026 to restore its bite.

Wolff says they “haven’t had a conversation” with Verstappen. That may be true. It also may be irrelevant.

Then there’s Aston Martin, a team with no shortage of cash and a burning ambition to stick it to the big dogs.

Recent reports from Sky F1 claim the outfit is floating £226 million (A$471 million) over three years to bring Verstappen into Lawrence Stroll’s increasingly expensive experiment.

They’ve hired legendary designer Adrian Newey on a bumper deal and they’ve built the factory. All that’s left is to make room on the grid — and one of those seats currently belongs to the owner’s son.

Fernando Alonso has brushed off the threat of being replaced by Verstappen.

“I don’t think so, as I have a contract for next year,” he said.

But moments later the Spanish two-time champion hinted at being open to stepping aside in 2027, potentially into a management role.

Having missed out for 2025, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has reportedly already begun sketching the outlines of his next move. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)

Fernando Alonso brushed off the threat of being replaced by Verstappen for 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

And then there’s Ferrari.

Verstappen has said Ferrari would be “an amazing team to race for.” But as we’ve seen with Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, the Scuderia may not be the place to be.

While it’s every driver’s dream to pull on a red race suit, Maranello currently only offers nostalgia, not championships.

There is also the possibility Verstappen stays at Red Bull, but only on his terms with a rewritten deal, a shorter leash, and an even larger cheque.

For all his edge on the track, Verstappen made no secret that he wants more alone time with his family.

He’s often shared his distaste for the sport’s relentless calendar.

And his star power has given him a lot of leeway to speak his mind in recent years and the 27-year-old has on multiple occasions spoken about life outside F1.

There is increasing chatter that he could take 2026 off and return in 2027 with the pick of the grid. His disdainful comments about the new regulations being brought in for next season have fuelled this theory.

We will have to wait and see what happens next weekend at the Miami Grand Prix on May 5 (AEST).

Originally published as F1: Where in the world will Max Verstappen go if Red Bull ticks him off?