Overview

• Mercedes’ board has approved a nine-figure budget to approach Max Verstappen for the 2026 season.
• F1-Insider reports that Red Bull would grant Verstappen an exit for roughly €100 million if performance triggers remain inactive.
• Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko maintains that Verstappen’s contract runs through 2028 and he expects the driver to honour it.
• Red Bull Racing is navigating major leadership changes after Christian Horner’s sudden dismissal and the exits of key figures like Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley.
• Honda has ruled out extending its engine partnership beyond 2025 and Marko has questioned the competitiveness of Ford’s 2026 power unit.