The top Red Bull RB22 priority after ‘big’ Max Verstappen ‘release’
Helmut Marko has hailed Max Verstappen’s decision to stay with Red Bull for the F1 2026 season as a “big release” for the team.
And he has revealed that team is determined to produce “a better car for him next year” – despite former team principal Christian Horner’s recent hint that Red Bull could struggle at the start of F1’s new era.
Max Verstappen to stay and lead Red Bull into F1 2026 seasonAdditional reporting by Thomas Maher
Verstappen, who is officially at Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season, ended weeks of speculation over his future at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix by confirming that he will remain at the team for F1 2026.
It came 24 hours after PlanetF1.com reported that George Russell is nearing a multi-year contract at Mercedes.
Verstappen had been heavily linked with a move to Mercedes since Russell, whose current deal is due to expire at the end of this year, revealed at the Austrian Grand Prix in June that talks to take Verstappen to Mercedes were “ongoing.”
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Marko is known to have a close relationship with Verstappen, who warned in early 2024 that he would consider his future at Red Bull if the long-serving adviser was removed from his position.
And the 82-year-old has expressed his relief at Verstappen’s decision to stay, vowing that the team will work hard to provide him with a competitive car in the shape of next year’s Red Bull RB22.
Asked how reassuring it is that Verstappen has finally committed his future to Red Bull, Marko told media including PlanetF1.com in Hungary: “It’s a big release.
“The whole team is really, really enthusiastic to make a better car for him next year.”
Marko’s latest comments come after he conceded that it is now “impossible” for Verstappen to claim a fifth World Championship in F1 2025.
After storming to four consecutive title triumphs since 2021, Verstappen is increasingly likely to be dethroned at the end of F1 2025 with the Dutchman currently trailing championship leader Oscar Piastri by 97 points following Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Verstappen recorded his worst result of the season so far by finishing a distant ninth in Budapest, trailing the race-winning McLaren of Lando Norris by more than a minute at the chequered flag.
He has been limited to just two victories so far this season, in Japan and Emilia Romagna, in addition to a sprint race win in Belgium.
Quizzed on Verstappen’s fading title hopes this season, Marko said: “It’s impossible, clearly.”
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The F1 2026 season will see Red Bull produce its own engines for the first time via its newly established Powertrains division, working in collaboration with US manufacturer Ford, as current supplier Honda enters a new partnership with Aston Martin.
In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com at the end of last season, Horner, who was sacked as Red Bull team principal last month, described the team’s in-house engine program as “by far the biggest challenge” the team has ever faced in F1.
Mercedes’ preparations for the F1 2026 rules – which will see the sport embrace 50 per cent electrification, fully sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics – are widely believed to be advanced.
A respected F1 reporter claimed in April that only one engine manufacturer, thought to be Mercedes, is ‘in good shape’ for F1 2026 with the remaining four engine makers – RBPT-Ford, Ferrari, Audi F1, and Honda – thought to be struggling to varying degrees with the development of their new power units.
More on Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing from PlanetF1.comSpeaking to media including PlanetF1.com at what proved to be his final race in charge of Red Bull, Horner conceded that it would be “embarrassing” for Mercedes and the other established manufacturers if RBPT-Ford produce a superior engine at the first time of asking.
Yet he insisted that Red Bull remains the right place for Verstappen to be over the long term, with an in-house engine facility set to give the team a major competitive advantage.
Horner said at the British Grand Prix: “Things go in cycles and sport goes in cycles.
“We’ve had two incredibly successful cycles in Formula 1 and what we want to do is build towards the next cycle.
“Now, of course, we want that to be with Max, but we understand the pressure that there is next year with us coming in as a new power unit manufacturer.
“The challenge of that is enormous. But we’ve got a hugely capable group of people. We’ve invested significantly. We’ve got a great culture within the team.
“Who knows? To expect us to be ahead of Mercedes next year is [unrealistic].
“It would be embarrassing for Mercedes if we were, or for any manufacturer.
“But I think we’re going to be in a competitive position, potentially even to where we are today relative to our other PU manufacturers.
“There’s everything to play for. What’s great is having it all under one roof; chassis engineers sitting next to engine engineers.
“That shouldn’t be underestimated when you’re talking about the packaging.
“When you’ve got the ability to have those groups communicating and talking with each other directly over a cup of coffee and within the same facility, that is priceless and that will pay dividends.
“Maybe it won’t be in ’26, but ’27, ’28, and beyond, long term for Red Bull, 100 per cent it is the right thing.”
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