Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks to the media in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 21, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
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F1 News: Verstappen denies worrying about Red Bull’s ’26 engine

Andrew Maitland

(GMM) Max Verstappen has denied speculation that [fake] rumors about his Red Bull exit could be more about the all-new 2026 engine rules than the Christian Horner saga.

The F1 contracts of top stars like Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are all believed to contain certain ‘exit clauses’ – like the rumored ‘Marko clause’ that would allow Max to escape Red Bull in the event Dr Helmut Marko departs.

But while the Austrian and Horner-Thai factions at Red Bull are clearly warring at present, powered in part by fiery comments made by Max’s father Jos, the triple world champion sounded calm about the turmoil in Melbourne.

Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talk in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 21, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Getting a good laugh over the fake rumors put out by the F1 media – Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talk in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 21, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

That would tie into rising rumors that Verstappen may be eying the exit door not because of Horner, but because of his nervousness about Red Bull’s new powertains project in collaboration with Ford.

Honda, having powered all of Verstappen’s titles to date, is switching to Aston Martin for 2026, when the all-new and radical engine regulations will debut.

Last year, Horner sounded the alarm about the 2026 rules, admitting that early simulations at Red Bull showed that drivers will have to get off the throttle mid-straight in order to conserve electrical energy.

“I suppose he (Horner) is worried that his engine program is not working and maybe he wants to kill the regulations because of that,” Mercedes’ Toto Wolff said at the time.

Now, amid the Horner scandal and Red Bull power struggle, Wolff is openly wooing Verstappen to Mercedes. Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert told the Sun newspaper earlier this week: “I’ve heard they are getting quite close with the deal with Mercedes.”

So is Verstappen contemplating a move to Mercedes not to escape the Red Bull turmoil, but because he believes the German giant will repeat its earlier feat of acing the start of the most recent engine rules revolution a decade ago?

Verstappen was asked in Melbourne if he is worried about speculation that Red Bull Powertrains, despite Ford’s involvement, is struggling with its 2026 engine?

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 22, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

“If I had to worry about every speculation, I would also have to worry about whether I will still be alive tomorrow,” he is quoted as answering by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

“I talk to Christian and the people who work in the power unit department and there is no reason to panic, we are not in 2026 yet,” the Dutchman insisted.

“Yes, we are competing with established engine manufacturers and it will not be easy to beat them, but there are a lot of very good people working on our project.”