F1, Ferrari - Verstappen’s manager explains: “This is what it takes to sign Max”

F1, Ferrari – Verstappen’s manager explains: “This is what it takes to sign Max”. Max Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen speaks.

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 2025 F1

Max Verstappen’s future is still to be decided, as his manager sets the conditions for Red Bull, Ferrari, and other F1 teams. The four-time world champion is once again fighting for the title this season. After a remarkable comeback, the Dutch driver remains the only “non-McLaren” contender for the championship. Next year he will stay in Milton Keynes, but 2026 could be the turning point.

Max Verstappen has been the most talked-about driver on the grid for more than a year now. Already last season, the first signs of tension inside Red Bull had emerged, which then exploded at the start of 2025. In Saudi Arabia, some were convinced that the Dutchman, tired of the Milton Keynes environment, would move to Silverstone to join Aston Martin. Rumors suggested that a very lucrative contract and full support from Lawrence Stroll’s team had convinced the 28-year-old from Hasselt.

There was also clear interest from Mercedes. The lack of contract renewals for George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli seemed to confirm it: Toto Wolff was ready to bring “SuperMax” to Brackley. In the end, however, Verstappen did not move. His commitment to his team, now led by Laurent Mekies, was confirmed. Everything has been postponed by a year, until 2026.

To have Verstappen, you need “the fastest car”
Speaking on the podcast The Inside Track, the Dutchman’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, explained what it takes to have him in the team: “Max has a lot of respect for the Red Bull staff, and Red Bull has been by his side since the beginning. They gave him a seat and prepared him very well for Formula 1. For this reason, we are loyal.”
“I told the management that we have the fastest driver in the paddock, and that’s why we also want the fastest car. We are still ahead, but it’s an extremely competitive environment. Red Bull is leaving nothing to chance to put together a top-level package. At the moment we are very happy with our situation, but of course, we have to keep being competitive.”

The decision has been postponed to 2026, when the real performance levels of all the teams will become clearer. For Red Bull, Ferrari, and all the other teams interested in Max Verstappen, the mission is clear.