F1 pundit Ralf Schumacher believes that Max Verstappen ‘will definitely leave Red Bull’ if the team’s upcoming upgrade package at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix does not turn around their fortunes. From there, he sees Aston Martin as his most likely destination. Verstappen went into the 2025 campaign with the hope of emulating Michael Schumacher’s record of five successive Drivers’ Championship titles, but the reigning champion is already on the ropes after four races as Red Bull remain unable to get on top of their car problems.
Christian Horner’s squad looked to have taken steps forward in Japan when Verstappen converted a miraculous pole position into victory, holding off the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in style. However, Red Bull reverted to the mean in Bahrain on Sunday in a miserable outing at the Sakhir International Circuit.
Following Verstappen’s P6 finish, he has dropped to third in the Drivers’ Championship standings, eight points behind Norris. With Piastri charging after scoring his second win in three races, the gap to the top spot is expected to widen this weekend as the triple-header comes to a close in Saudi Arabia.
“I’m pretty sure that if the upgrade on the car doesn’t take effect by Imola and the new engine [for 2026] doesn’t run quite as well, Max Verstappen will definitely leave the team,” Schumacher told Sky Germany. “You can see the difference he makes, you absolutely have to get this driver, and everyone wants to have him.”
Asked where the 27-year-old would end up, Schumacher continued: “A bigger adventure awaits Verstappen at Aston Martin. Together with Adrian Newey, whom he knows very well, he also knows Honda very well, and [there is] also a new factory that has a future.”
Aston Martin’s future is a compelling one, but it would be hard for Verstappen to ignore the team’s current predicament. Lawrence Stroll’s squad were scrapping with Sauber at the back of the field in Bahrain, where they arguably had the slowest car.
If Verstappen decides that Aston Martin’s current form is too concerning to warrant gambling his future on, he has another potential option in Mercedes. Toto Wolff went public in his pursuit of the four-time world champion last season but wheeled back his stance during the off-season.
For Wolff, the decision to sign Verstappen would be far from a no-brainer. In George Russell, he has one of the best-performing drivers on the grid in his corner, and the Mercedes team principal will not want to risk losing the services of teenage wonderkid Kimi Antonelli.