16/09/2025 19:10
Former F1 driver Derek Daly has asserted Max Verstappen's future
with Red Bull beyond next year is far from certain amid the team's
dip in form. Having enjoyed championship success with Red Bull from
2021 to 2024, Verstappen has found himself in a less competitive
position this year with McLaren rising to the front of the pecking
order. Verstappen has taken three race victories this year, but
McLaren's dominance has kept him out of championship contention. It
led to speculation he could leave Red Bull at the end of this year
and was heavily linked with a move to Mercedes ahead of new
technical regulations coming into play next season. While the
four-time champion has committed the 2026 campaign to Red Bull,
Daly is not so sure about his future beyond next year. "I have
absolutely no doubt Max is looking around to see where's the best
place for him to land for 2027 onwards," Daly exclusively told
RacingNews365 . "Without a doubt. "A driver of Max's superb
ability, what drives him will not be content to sit back in
defective equipment. "So for sure, for 2027 onwards, he's going to
be looking to be signed by the best team." 'Years before Red Bull
cycle back again' McLaren has dominated the current F1 campaign,
scoring 12 wins in 16 rounds and taking over at the top of the
order from Red Bull. Pointing to decades gone by, Daly predicted it
will be several years before Red Bull rise back to a position of
superiority over the field. "If you look at the history of racing,
look back to Williams, or to Lotus or to Ferrari," he said. "The
history of F1 goes up and down, cycles and troughs. Red Bull is
going into their trough. "It's going to be years before they'll
cycle back again to the greatness they've had in the future.
Ferrari is in their trough right now. "McLaren just came out of
their trough. You can't argue with history. This is the way the
sport has always gone. "It's following a normal trajectory. I have
to think that Max Verstappen's dad knows that and Max knows that.
"They're going to try and catch the wave of an uplift trough with
whatever team shows that in the future. "Mercedes was on the high
for how long, and now they're down in their trough. "They're hoping
that these new regulations, their engineers will design a car
that'll have them on the ascent to more dominance. That is the
fascination about F1. You just never know."
