While Marko and Red Bull have their sights set on long-term success, team principal Laurent Mekies believes that there will still be opportunities for Verstappen to record a third Grand Prix victory before the end of the campaign. This view is not shared by the team’s star driver, though.

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen has ended weeks of speculation by confirming that he will be staying with Red Bull Racing in 2026.

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.