Max Verstappen has made it clear that he is not rushing any decision about his long‑term place in Formula 1. The Dutch champion, who recently hinted at the possibility of stepping away from the sport, says he is simply allowing himself time to evaluate the situation. After the Japanese Grand Prix at the end of March, Verstappen voiced frustration with the new technical regulations that have left Red Bull lagging at the start of the 2026 campaign.
Yet, when pressed for an update, he stressed there is "nothing new" to report and that his attention is currently divided among other commitments, including a demanding outing on Germany’s Nordschleife as preparation for a 24‑hour endurance race slated for May. "I still have time and I’m taking my time," he told reporters ahead of the Miami Grand Prix weekend.
When Sky Italy asked whether a potential surge in Red Bull’s performance would sway his thinking, Verstappen replied that the team is "a little bit further behind at the moment than what we had last year" and that his personal calculations remain unchanged. He reiterated his earlier comments from Japan, emphasizing that he has plenty of time to decide his next steps. The champion’s primary focus, he explained, is simply to be present and to support his team as they work on car upgrades. "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 have brought as well," Verstappen said.
He added that his hope is for Red Bull to escape the midfield battles that have plagued the early races and to move back toward the front of the grid. At present, Verstappen sits ninth in the Drivers’ Championship and has failed to secure a top‑five finish in any of the opening three rounds. While his on‑track results have been disappointing, he insists that the root of his frustration lies more with the regulatory environment than with Red Bull’s outright pace. The FIA has introduced a series of adjustments to the power‑unit rules for the remainder of the season, aiming to promote more "flat‑out" driving.
These changes include tighter limits on energy harvesting and deployment, a reduction in the amount of "super‑clipping"—the practice of deliberately slowing on a straight to recharge the battery—and stricter controls on lift‑and‑coast techniques. The goal is to shrink closing speeds and create more overtaking opportunities. Additional tweaks to the boost modes were also made after Oliver Bearman’s dramatic crash in Japan, which forced him to take extreme measures to avoid a collision with Franco Colapinto.
Despite these efforts, Verstappen described the modifications as merely a "tickle"—insufficient to deliver the kind of full‑throttle racing fans crave. He expressed optimism that more substantial changes could be introduced for the 2027 season, noting that recent meetings with Formula 1 officials and the FIA have been constructive and could serve as a foundation for future reforms.
Looking further ahead, Verstappen hopes that driver input will become a more integral part of the sport’s decision‑making process. "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," he said. He acknowledged the complexity and political nature of Formula 1, but praised the recent improvements in communication as a "huge step forward".
During the five‑week break since the last race, Verstappen’s long‑time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, announced a surprising move to McLaren, set to take effect in 2028. Lambiase has been Verstappen’s sole permanent engineer at Red Bull since they first partnered in 2016, and the driver previously warned that he would consider leaving the sport if he lost that partnership. Nevertheless, Verstappen clarified that Lambiase’s departure is unrelated to his own future 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," Verstappen explained. He added that the team continues to look forward, innovate, and improve, irrespective of personnel changes. Verstappen also half‑joked that trying to retain Lambiase would be "an idiot" move, given the lucrative offer the 45‑year‑old engineer received from McLaren.
He acknowledged that finding a new engineer with the same chemistry will be challenging. "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," he told Sky Sports F1. The upcoming Miami weekend will feature a sprint format as the 2026 season resumes.
The schedule includes F2 practice sessions, sprint races, and the main Grand Prix, all broadcast on Sky Sports. Fans can stream the action via the NOW platform without a long‑term contract.
As Verstappen prepares for the Miami Grand Prix, his message remains consistent: he is taking his time, monitoring the evolution of the car and the regulations, and keeping an open mind about his future in the sport he has dominated for years.