Verstappen Future Tied to Honda-Red Bull Reunion?
Red Bull could extend its Honda partnership into 2026, as doubts grow over the readiness of its in-house power unit project.
There’s a surprising rumor making waves in the Jeddah paddock—and it might just put an end to the ongoing speculation about Max Verstappen’s future with Red Bull.
While 2025 is expected to bring its own challenges, Verstappen and his camp are reportedly even more concerned about the team’s readiness for the new engine regulations coming in 2026. Red Bull Powertrains, the team’s in-house engine project, is said to be facing significant hurdles—raising fears that the team could fall behind in competitiveness.
Talks of a potential switch to Aston Martin, Mercedes, or another team have been swirling. But in Saudi Arabia, the reigning four-time world champion was quick to downplay the noise:
“Everyone’s talking about it—except me,” Verstappen said.
A source close to the driver, speaking anonymously to De Telegraaf, added:
“I don’t think leaving is on the table. He has a contract and wants to see how things go with Red Bull Powertrains.”
But there’s a twist.
Behind the scenes, Red Bull is reportedly unhappy with the progress of its future power unit—and may be considering a temporary solution: sticking with Honda for one more year in 2026. This would allow more time to fine-tune their own engine before fully committing.
Another version of the rumor suggests that in 2026, only the sister team, Racing Bulls, might use the Red Bull-Ford engine—effectively making them a live testing ground.
Meanwhile, Red Bull could simply buy a customer engine from Honda. And according to the whispers, Honda is very much on board. The Japanese manufacturer is said to be eager to continue working with Verstappen—and not entirely confident in their upcoming factory partnership with Aston Martin, whose recent performance has raised a few eyebrows.
So, could Honda and Red Bull reunite just as F1 enters a bold new era? In the high-stakes world of Formula 1, nothing’s off the table.
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