Max Verstappen returned to the center of speculation in Formula 1, after the former driver Christijan Albers advocated a future move of the driver to Ferrari. The former driver stated that he expects to see the four-time world champion remain at Red Bull Racing until 2027, before taking Lewis Hamilton’s place at the Italian team a year later.
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This possibility gained strength amid discussions about the future regulations of F1 power units. Verstappen has already made it clear that he considers a change in the split between combustion engine and battery essential to continue competing beyond 2026, something that still divides manufacturers and the FIA.
Currently, the balance is 50/50 between combustion and electric energy. FIA, Mercedes, and Red Bull Powertrains-Ford advocate a change to 60/40 as early as 2027, while Ferrari and Audi prefer to postpone any change until 2028. According to the text, Verstappen considers the 60/40 model the minimum acceptable to continue in the category.
Even after the Dutchman stated in Canada that he could leave Formula 1 if the change does not happen, Albers does not believe in this possibility: “If I had to advise him, I would say not to stop, because everything would become very boring. He would have to start doing other things suddenly, categories where there is not much competition,” said the former driver on the F1 podcast of the newspaper De Telegraaf.
The current commentator also revealed having made a direct request to his compatriot: “I will ask again in Monaco. That he drives one more year at Red Bull and then goes to Ferrari in 2028. I’m not much for saying these things, but I would really appreciate that. I hope to talk to him in Monaco to ask again,” he said.
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Albers compared Verstappen’s current situation with Michael Schumacher’s trajectory in the 1990s. The German switched from Benetton to Ferrari at a time when the Italian team was still seeking to return to the top of Formula 1, starting a long rebuilding process that ended in dominance in the category.
For the former driver, Verstappen has already reached a level similar to Schumacher’s and could repeat that impact in Maranello: “I think he should accept a challenge like Michael Schumacher did. He has already become big enough for that. I believe he can make that difference at Ferrari,” he added.
Although he acknowledged that it would be difficult to bring trusted people from Red Bull to Ferrari, since many important members have left the team in recent years, Albers did not hide his enthusiasm for the idea: “Did you see those red overalls when the three were there after the race? What a difference in presence. Those red overalls with white stripes are the most beautiful on the entire grid,” he concluded.
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