At Silverstone, Max Verstappen dropped from third on the grid to finish 6th in the sprint, then qualified 7th for the race and ended up 6th again after a rear‑wing defect sent him crashing in the closing laps. He blamed a top‑speed shortfall in his car as the main culprit for his rare deficit to teammate Red Bull.

Because Verstappen is 7th in the World Championship, a clause in his contract will be activated once the season’s top two are decided after the Belgian and Hungarian races. The clause allows him to leave Red Bull at the end of 2026, a move that has driven speculation that he could join Mercedes, McLaren or Ferrari – all of which have long‑term driver locks.

Former champion Jenson Button and pundits Anthony Davidson and Martin Brundle have all weighed in. Button urged Verstappen to be “ruthless” and “selfish,” while Davidson highlighted the close rapport between Verstappen and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Brundle pointed out that_library

The clause gives Red Bull a bargaining chip, but Verstappen’s options are constrained by rivals’ long‑term contracts. A 2027 exit is likely only if a compelling offer materialises, otherwise Red Bull may keep him until the clause is triggered.