Max Verstappen moving to £1.6bn-valued F1 team in 2026 now ‘out of the question’ after the Miami Grand Prix

There were very few positives for Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko to take from the Miami Grand Prix.

For the first time since he joined Red Bull, new driver Yuki Tsunoda was classified ahead of his teammate Max Verstappen after Saturday’s Sprint Race.

However, that’s only because Verstappen received a 10-second time penalty for an unsafe release as Red Bull’s reputation for having the best-drilled crew in the pit lane continues to deteriorate following Jonathan Wheatley’s departure.

It meant that the four-time world champion was classified outside of the points for the first time since 2016, and Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix didn’t go much better.

Despite starting on pole position, Verstappen had to show Michael Schumacher levels of defensive driving to try and stay ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris but it was no use given McLaren’s incredible pace advantage.

He was unlucky to lose out to George Russell during the virtual safety car, but a P4 finish does very little to help his cause in trying to secure a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship.

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Aston Martin ‘out of the question’ for Max Verstappen in 2026 after the Miami Grand Prix

Verstappen has a get-out clause in his Red Bull contract that would currently activate at the summer break based on the current drivers’ standings.

It means several teams in the paddock are on red alert about potentially being able to sign the Dutchman, and a report from F1 Insider has shared more information on his future.

They report that Red Bull are delivering an update to Imola that should give Verstappen ‘a new lease of life’.

However, his camp has now narrowed down Verstappen’s options for 2026 to two teams: sticking with Red Bull or heading to Mercedes.

It’s believed that a move to Aston Martin is now ‘out of the question’ despite the lure of Honda power units, Adrian Newey and a potentially huge contract.

The £1.6bn-valued team have been chasing perfection in every area ever since Lawrence Stroll took over but he’s yet to address their driver line-up.

Verstappen would be an immediate step up from Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, but the team’s current performances might be too much of a red flag for the Dutchman at this stage.

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Franz Tost tells Max Verstappen to consider a sabbatical from Formula 1

Red Bull insider and former team principal Franz Tost has given his take on what Verstappen should do next and said, “This shot has to be right, and that also applies to Ferrari and Mercedes.

“Otherwise, the World Championship is over, and McLaren will continue to dominate the rest of the season.

“Then even an exceptional driver like Max Verstappen won’t be able to do anything.”

“I could also imagine Max taking a year off and calmly observing who has implemented the new vehicle regulations and the new engines best from a technical perspective.

“And then coming back. Because one thing is certain: everyone wants Max on the team if he can.

“Firstly, because he makes every team significantly better, and secondly, to prevent someone else from getting him.”

Damon Hill has told Verstappen he would be ‘wise’ to consider a sabbatical and to assess the Formula 1 landscape in 2026 before signing a contract elsewhere.

Aston Martin are desperate to hire Verstappen, but it appears to be far too much of a risk for him to take to walk away from Red Bull for a team who were the slowest on the grid in Miami.

However, Red Bull aren’t doing the best job of convincing Verstappen that he’s in the right place to continue winning world championships.