Max Verstappen has made it clear that he is not in a rush to decide his next steps in Formula 1, even as rumors swirl that he may be contemplating an exit from the sport. After the Japanese Grand Prix at the end of March, the Dutch champion hinted that he was weighing his options, citing frustration with the new regulations that have left Red Bull off to a slow start in the 2026 campaign. Yet, in the lead‑up to the Miami Grand Prix, Verstappen emphasized that there is "nothing new" to add and that he remains occupied with other projects, such as a testing stint on Germany’s famous Nordschleife in preparation for a 24‑hour endurance race slated for May.
"I still have time and I'm taking my time," he told reporters before the Florida round. When Sky Italy asked whether a resurgence in Red Bull’s performance would influence his decision, Verstappen replied that the team is currently a bit further behind than they were last year, and that his personal considerations remain unchanged. "What I said in Japan still holds – I have plenty of time," he added, stressing his desire to stay put for now. He went on to explain that the team has been working hard on upgrades for the RB‑24, and that the next few weeks will reveal whether those developments can close the gap to the competition.
"I just want to be here. The team has put a lot of effort into bringing updates to the car, so we have to wait and see what they can deliver.
Of course, I have no idea what the other teams are bringing," Verstappen said, before expressing a wish to break out of the midfield battle and move further up the order. At the moment, Verstappen sits ninth in the drivers’ standings and has failed to finish in the top five in any of the opening three races of the season. He has repeatedly pointed to the regulatory changes rather than Red Bull’s on‑track performance as the main source of his frustration.
The FIA recently altered the power‑unit rules for the remainder of the season, aiming to encourage more "flat‑out" driving by tightening limits on energy harvesting and deployment. The adjustments are intended to reduce the amount of "super‑clipping" – the practice of slowing on a straight to recharge the battery – and to curb lifting and coasting, thereby decreasing closing speeds.
Additional tweaks to the boost modes were introduced after Oliver Bearman’s dramatic crash in Japan, which forced him to take evasive action to avoid a collision with Franco Colapinto. Verstappen, however, dismissed the changes as merely a "tickle" and insufficient to restore the pure, high‑speed racing fans crave. "I hope next year we can make really big changes," he said, noting that recent meetings between Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams could serve as a starting point for future reforms. He expressed optimism that, even after his own career ends, drivers will have a stronger voice in shaping the sport.
"We have a good understanding of what makes F1 a fun product, and the communication is improving," Verstappen remarked, while acknowledging that the sport’s complexity and politics mean that any single adjustment will not revolutionise everything. In the five‑week lull since the last race, another development added to the uncertainty surrounding Verstappen’s future. His long‑time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, announced that he will leave Red Bull to join McLaren in 2028. Lambiase has been Verstappen’s sole permanent engineer since they first teamed up in 2016, and the driver once declared that he would not continue in F1 without his trusted engineer.
Despite this, Verstappen stressed that Lambiase’s move is unrelated to his own contract decisions. "We have a very honest and open relationship, and I wish him all the best.
There are no hard feelings," he said, adding that the team will keep looking ahead, innovating and improving. Verstappen admitted that trying to replace a relationship as strong as the one he had with Lambiase would be challenging. "The chemistry we have is rare in racing. Finding that again won’t be easy, but sometimes it happens," he told Sky Sports F1, half‑joking that it would be "idiotic" to try and keep Lambiase after the lucrative offer he received from McLaren.
The Miami weekend schedule is packed, with F2 practice, sprint races, and the main Grand Prix all taking place over three days. The event marks the resumption of the 2026 season, and fans can watch live on Sky Sports F1 or stream via NOW.
As the calendar unfolds, Verstappen’s words suggest a measured approach: he will continue to race, assess the car’s development, and keep his options open, all while hoping for more substantial regulatory reforms that could restore the high‑speed excitement that defines Formula 1.