Overview

• Christian Horner says Max Verstappen plans to race for Red Bull in 2026 and finish his career there despite a performance-based exit clause in his contract.
• Horner attributes much of the transfer speculation to George Russell’s leveraging of his own Mercedes negotiations, though Russell insists he expects to retain his seat.
• Officials including Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen emphasize that recent struggles stem from the RB21 chassis’s narrow operating window rather than driver shortcomings.
• The team is preparing for life after Verstappen by boosting its junior programme, fielding Arvid Lindblad in practice and giving Yuki Tsunoda until season’s end to secure his seat.
• A looming 2026 regulation overhaul and cost cap pressures have intensified Red Bull’s focus on both technical development and a strong driver pipeline.