Max Verstappen has made it clear that he is not rushing any decision about his future in Formula 1. The Dutch champion, who hinted at the possibility of stepping away from the sport after the Japanese Grand Prix in late March, says he is still weighing his options and has plenty of time to do so. The speculation began when Verstappen, frustrated by the new technical regulations that have hampered Red Bull’s start to the 2026 campaign, suggested he might consider leaving the series.
The changes, aimed at encouraging more "flat‑out" driving, have not produced the performance boost the team hoped for, leaving the reigning world champion in ninth place in the drivers’ standings after three races without a top‑five finish. Despite those comments, Verstappen told reporters ahead of the Miami Grand Prix that there is "nothing new" to add to his earlier statements. He emphasized that he is currently occupied with other projects, notably a test session at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany, where he is preparing for a 24‑hour endurance race scheduled for May.
"I still have time and I'm taking my time," he said, underscoring that his decision will not be rushed. When Sky Italy asked whether a sudden improvement in Red Bull’s performance might sway his thinking, Verstappen replied, "We are a little bit further behind at the moment than what we had last year.
The rest, I mean, also for myself, I don't know at the moment. What I said in Japan is still the same, but I also still have a lot of time." He added that his priority is to stay with the team that has worked tirelessly on car upgrades.
"I just want to be here. The team has worked really hard to bring updates to the car, so we first have to wait and see what they will do, because I have no idea, of course, what other teams came with as well," he explained. Verstappen hopes the forthcoming updates will lift Red Bull out of the midfield battle and put them back at the front of the grid. The driver’s frustration appears to be rooted more in the regulatory environment than in Red Bull’s engineering.
The FIA has altered the power‑unit rules for the remainder of the season, tweaking energy harvesting and deployment limits to reduce "super‑clipping"—the practice of slowing on a straight to recharge the battery—and to curb lifting and coasting. These adjustments were partly a response to Oliver Bearman’s dramatic crash in Japan, which highlighted safety concerns around the new boost‑mode settings. Nevertheless, Verstappen described the latest tweaks as merely a "tickle"—insufficient to deliver the kind of pure, all‑out racing the sport’s fans crave.
"I just hope for next year we can make really big changes," he said, expressing optimism that the dialogue he and other drivers have opened with the FIA could lead to more substantial reforms. He praised recent meetings with Formula 1 officials, calling them a promising starting point for future collaboration. "Even in a few years' time, when maybe I'm not here anymore, I really hope that for the future drivers as well, there's more input to come from the drivers to the organisers in general because I do think that most of the drivers here, we have a good understanding and a good feel of what is needed to make Formula 1 a good product, a fun product," Verstappen remarked.
The champion acknowledged that F1 is a complex, political sport, and that incremental changes are unlikely to transform it overnight. "It's more like a tickle because at the end of the day, F1 is a very complex and political sport. But I think everyone has tried their best to at least do something, but of course it won't change the world," he concluded.
Amid the ongoing uncertainty about his own future, Verstappen also addressed the departure of his long‑time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase. Lambiase, who has been with Verstappen since their first race together in 2016, announced that he will leave Red Bull to join McLaren in 2028. The engineer’s exit sparked rumors that Verstappen might follow, especially after the Dutchman once said he would quit F1 if he lost his trusted engineer. Verstappen dismissed any direct link between Lambiase’s move and his own career plans.
"We have a very honest and open relationship, so that was all good. I wish him all the best and for me there was no hard feelings on that," he said.
He added that Red Bull as a team continues to look ahead, focusing on innovation and improvement. He also admitted that finding a new engineer with the same chemistry will be a challenge. "The general understanding that we have with each other, and the chemistry works really well.
And that's very rare in racing. You don't see that often that a driver and engineer, they gel that well together. That's something that I'll have to try and find again. It's not that easy but sometimes, of course, that happens," Verstappen explained.
Beyond the technical and personnel issues, Verstappen’s schedule is packed. He will compete in the Miami Sprint weekend, with practice sessions, qualifying, and the main Grand Prix spread over three days. The event also features a full slate of Formula 2 support races, providing fans with a comprehensive motorsport experience.
In summary, Max Verstappen remains in a contemplative mode regarding his Formula 1 future. While he acknowledges the challenges posed by new regulations and the recent dip in Red Bull’s performance, he stresses that he has ample time to decide and is focused on supporting his team’s development efforts.
His comments suggest a desire for more substantial regulatory reforms, better driver input, and a continued partnership with a race engineer who truly understands his style. Until the next round of car upgrades arrives and the season unfolds, Verstappen will keep his options open, taking each day as it comes.