Overview

• Max Verstappen announced on July 31 during the Hungarian GP that he will remain at Red Bull for the 2026 season, ending weeks of speculation.
• A performance-based exit clause tied to a top-three finish expired late July, locking Verstappen’s contract through 2028.
• Red Bull’s leadership change, with Christian Horner’s July dismissal and Laurent Mekies’s appointment, did not sway Verstappen’s decision.
• Mercedes track engineering director Andrew Shovlin attributed rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s recent point drought to W16 setup changes and inexperience rather than driver error.
• Mercedes has shifted its focus toward addressing the W16’s handling weaknesses and bolstering technical support for Antonelli ahead of next year’s regulations.