Max Verstappen is not expected to leave Red Bull Racing, even after the departure of key team members in recent years and the below-expected performance in 2026. This is the opinion of former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who believes the four-time world champion remains with one of the strongest teams in the category and is only looking to pressure the team to return to the top.
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In an interview with F1, Montoya stated that he sees no signs that Verstappen wants to change teams. For the Colombian, despite internal changes, Red Bull remains competitive and demonstrated this by almost overturning the championship battle last season.
“I don’t think Max wants to leave Red Bull. He is in one of the best teams in Formula 1, probably the best in the last twenty years, alongside Mercedes. He is in the right place,” Montoya said. The former driver acknowledged that the structure changed after the departure of several important figures but highlighted that the results remained at a high level: “Yes, many people left and that changed the team, but they continue delivering performance. Last year they almost managed to come back and win the championship. I think that’s what he wants to see from the team, and it all comes down to putting pressure so that this happens,” he added.
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The topic was also analyzed by another former F1 driver, Mika Hakkinen, who addressed the possibility of Verstappen defending McLaren. Participating in the Up to Speed podcast, the two-time Formula 1 champion said it would not make sense to change a driver pairing that already delivers consistent results in the British team.
According to Hakkinen, McLaren’s philosophy has always prioritized collective strength rather than relying on a single name: “The goal is to build a very strong team spirit. If you asked me what I would do, I would try to minimize that risk. You would lose that team spirit. If the team already has two great drivers, why change that? We had the longest partnership between teammates in Formula 1, and that shows that when there is good harmony within the team, there is no reason to put someone else in their place,” he concluded.
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