Alan Permane stated that a possible departure of Max Verstappen from Red Bull would not have a direct impact on Racing Bulls in Formula 1. For the Faenza team principal, any change involving the Dutchman would be a matter restricted to Red Bull’s main operation.
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Verstappen’s future has become one of the main topics of the season, amid recurring reports about a possible exit from the team. Seventh in the championship after ten rounds, the four-time world champion can trigger a performance clause in his contract, valid until the end of 2028, and leave Red Bull already at the end of this year.
McLaren has recently emerged as the most mentioned destination, with rumors indicating that a possible negotiation could involve a swap with Oscar Piastri. Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, and Raymond Vermeulen, Verstappen’s agent, however, publicly denied the existence of these talks.
As Racing Bulls functions as a development space for young drivers linked to Red Bull, Permane was asked about possible consequences for the team if Verstappen left Milton Keynes. The Briton ruled out any immediate effect.
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“In my team, that would have no impact, because he does not drive for me. I think that is really a question for Laurent,” said Permane, referring to Laurent Mekies, head of Red Bull.
The manager emphasized that the responsibility for defining the main team’s driver lineup does not lie with Racing Bulls. “Max does not race for me, and it will be up to Laurent to decide who his drivers will be next season,” he added.
Permane also avoided projecting the possible effects of a Verstappen transfer on the driver market. According to him, there are many still unknown variables to anticipate how a possible change could alter the team compositions for 2027.
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