Helmut Marko reveals how Max Verstappen ‘will be in a different car’ after 2026
Max Verstappen has been making his trade with the Red Bull Formula 1 team since 2016.
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Helmut Marko, Max Verstappen and Christian Horner (via IMAGO)
Max Verstappen has been in the headlines during the 2024 season for varied reasons. From his on-track issues in the driver’s championship to getting linked with a few top teams, Verstappen has been one of the main talking points.
In recent times Max Verstappen has been linked with a potential move to Aston Martin or Mercedes. While the rumor mill has been revolving around this, the Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed how the Dutchman could end up in a ‘different car’ after the 2026 season.
2026 is the year when the new regulations will come into effect in F1.
I don’t think Verstappen will still be in my office then [if things don’t go well in 2026], he’d be in a different car.
Helmut Marko via Motorsport-magazine
The 81-year-old veteran has made it quite clear that if Red Bull fails to nail the new regulations in 2026, Verstappen could drive for a different team from 2027 onwards. The reigning world champion’s current deal with the Austrian outfit is until the end of 2028, but it has an exit clause in it.
Max Verstappen eyeing a ‘road trip through Australia’
Max Verstappen has been up to many different things during the ongoing three-week break in F1. He recently did a round trip in the US and thus, wants to do one road trip through Australia somewhere down the line.
Verstappen is well-known in the paddock for making full use of the F1 breaks by way of spending time with family and also traveling around the world.
I have already done a round trip in the US, so I would then do a road trip through Australia. I did LA, Vegas. Vegas through Death Valley. I went to see the big trees at Sequoia. Did Yosemite. Went to San Francisco, then went back through the coast and stopped at Carmel, and back to LA with some stops. It was nice, and it was in an SUV. Stopped in local hotels along the way.
Max Verstappen via GPBlog
While the 27-year-old has laid out his plans away from F1, his focus will shift very quickly to the sport this week. The 2024 United States Grand Prix is slated to take place this week at the iconic Circuit of the Americas.
Moreover, he also has to deal with the ever-looming threat of Lando Norris. The two are in an intense tussle for the driver’s championship and the latter is only 52 points behind Verstappen.
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Rishabh Negi
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