Jenson Button warns Verstappen his loyalty to Red Bull could hinder future success, urging pragmatism as F1’s competitive landscape shifts.
Will Max Verstappen’s loyalty to Red Bull backfire in the future? That’s what Jenson Button is beginning to believe.
The 2009 world champion thinks Red Bull is on the decline, and the Dutchman might need to consider moving on—perhaps to Mercedes F1 when the new engine regulations take effect in 2026.
“You look at the situation, and Red Bull is probably the third or even the fourth-best team right now, so it’s tricky,” said Jenson Button.
But the Brit already knows Verstappen’s response!
“But then Max replied, ‘Yes, but we haven’t had the best car since the seventh or eighth race, and my competitors still haven’t caught me in the championship,’ which is a good argument. As a team, they’re still great. They just don’t have the car performance we’ve come to expect over the last three and a half years.”
“If they start 2025 like they’re performing now, it puts a lot of pressure on the drivers to maximize every weekend. Maybe he’ll look elsewhere, but they’ve given him so much in terms of performance over the years.”
Button believes Verstappen needs to be pragmatic—even if it means closing the door on the team that nurtured him.
“He doesn’t want to leave a team that has given him so much, but he has to think about the most important person—himself.”
A bit of selfishness could do Max Verstappen some good!
End of the road in F1 by 2028?
What’s certain is that Max Verstappen won’t be stepping away from motorsport anytime soon. Even with retirement on his mind, Button sees him staying involved purely out of passion—not necessarily in F1 due to the demanding schedule, but in other series.
“There are two types of F1 drivers. There are those for whom F1 is everything, and when they stop, they walk away completely.”
“But for Max, and others like me, we love motorsport, not just Formula 1. So Max won’t leave F1 to stop winning.”
“He’ll leave Formula 1 to race elsewhere. He’s talked about endurance racing, maybe Le Mans or Daytona. Or perhaps he’ll stick to sim racing—who knows? But he’ll keep fighting for wins.”
“That won’t change. It’s just the environment that will. F1 is the pinnacle, but there’s a lot more pressure and far more eyes on you compared to other categories.”
So does Button think Max Verstappen won’t stay beyond 2028, the end of his current contract?
“Maybe this will be his last F1 contract. He’ll honor his deal with Red Bull and then move on—who knows? But he’ll keep racing for a long time, just in a different way.”
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Button Questions Verstappen’s Future at Red Bull Button Questions Verstappen’s Future at Red Bull
