Verstappen says F1 future decision not due for ’weeks’
"There is not much going on in my mind"
Max Verstappen says it may take "weeks" before his Formula 1 future becomes clear again after fresh political resistance emerged against planned 2027 rule changes.
The Red Bull driver had appeared ready in Montreal to commit himself to staying in Formula 1 beyond 2026 after the FIA and stakeholders backed proposals to reduce the extreme electrical emphasis of the current regulations.
But momentum behind those changes has since slowed amid resistance from several manufacturers, particularly Ferrari and Audi.
Speaking to Viaplay after the Canadian GP, Verstappen made clear the situation is once again uncertain. "There is not much going on in my mind," he said.
"I live my life and know what I want. We’ll talk about that with the team," he said when asked about his future.
"Hopefully we’ll know a little more in a few weeks."
The frustration was intensified by another difficult weekend with the RB22 in Montreal.
Verstappen repeatedly complained about bouncing, instability under braking and inconsistent behaviour over kerbs - issues he says Red Bull has failed to solve.
"The car suddenly feels different," he explained. "From one moment to the next, it just bounces a lot more."
"That’s a problem we’ve had for a long time. That’s quite frustrating, because I’ve been reporting that for a few years," Verstappen said.
"Not much happens there. As a result, you cannot drive on the limit. There’s something in the car that just doesn’t work well for a few years."
Verstappen admitted Red Bull has sometimes sacrificed outright results recently while experimenting aggressively with setup solutions.
"The result is that the team sometimes cannot go for the maximum result as a result of a failed experiment," he acknowledged.
The Dutchman also openly compared Formula 1 unfavourably with his recent GT3 outings, including the fabled Nordschleife 24 hour race. "If you drive a weekend on the Nordschleife and then come back, you really think ’I didn’t miss this’," Verstappen admitted.
"It’s just like that but it’s not how it should be."
Verstappen says Red Bull is also now pushing the FIA and Formula One Management for change. "As a team, we also indicate that to the FOM and the FIA," he said.
"And also as drivers. We indicate what we think should be better. Hopefully they will adjust that."
Asked directly whether he is confident the FIA and FOM will force the changes through despite manufacturer resistance, Verstappen was blunt.
"It has to (change)," he said. "It’s that simple."