Marc Priestley: “Verstappen could leave Red Bull for Williams in 2026”

Having just won a fourth consecutive championship with Red Bull, the Dutchman's future with the Austrian team remains unclear, to the point where certain rumours are beginning to emerge. These include the possibility of the Dutch driver joining Williams as early as 2026.

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F1 also knows how to play Santa Claus. While all the children discovered their presents under the tree, F1 took the opportunity to circulate an incredible rumor, that of seeing Verstappen leave the Red Bull fold at the end of next year if the car is no longer as competitive, especially as it has to prepare for the new 2026 regulations which will mark Ford’s arrival in the Milton Keynes team, which will then have to manufacture its own engine under the Red Bull Powertrains banner.

Verstappen already considered by Mercedes and Aston Martin

These speculations had already surfaced earlier this season when the Horner affair shook the Austrian team, even causing a division within the structure between the Horner and Verstappen clans. A tense context that fueled rumors of the Dutch driver moving to Mercedes. At that time, the German team was looking for a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who had taken everyone by surprise by announcing his departure from Mercedes to join Ferrari. After several weeks of negotiations between Verstappen and Toto Wolff, the now four-time world champion ultimately decided to stay with Red Bull, and the German team consequently turned to their protégé Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the 2025 season.

More recently, the former Toro Rosso driver was approached by Aston Martin. The British team had convincing arguments. It has an extremely powerful financial force, it secured the signing of Adrian Newey, a former member of Red Bull alongside Verstappen, and it will be powered by Honda from 2026, a manufacturer that has contributed to the Dutch driver’s success for several years. Yet, once again, negotiations between the two parties seem to be stalling, especially since the team based in Silverstone has struggled to progress since last year. However, in recent days, a third team could be Verstappen’s future destination, and it seems even more surprising than the first two.

Verstappen at Williams in 2026?

Indeed, according to Mark Priestley, a mechanic at McLaren from 2000 to 2009 and now a consultant, the Dutchman could land at Williams during the next technical regulations.

Even though this choice may seem unlikely given the performance gap between the two teams, the arrival of James Vowles at the helm of the Grove team and the investments from the American investment fund Dorilton Capital have given new momentum to Williams, which now seems to be moving in the right direction. On the other hand, Red Bull, despite securing the title thanks to Verstappen, appeared to regress and struggle at the end of the season against McLaren and Ferrari. If this trend continues, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Verstappen start to explore the options available to him for the future, and among them is Williams.

The driver market is incredibly complex right now, as everyone is making their decisions based on the regulatory changes for 2026, Priestley explained to Casino Uden Rofus, in comments relayed by Planet F1. You have to choose the team that you believe will produce the best car. It could be a team like Williams. We also know that Verstappen has had many discussions with Mercedes. You could also look at Williams, which, under the leadership of James Vowles, is building solidly for 2026 with great ambitions. I know for certain that they expect to fight at the top with the best teams on the grid. Maybe this is an opportunity for Verstappen.

Early retirement, another solution for the Dutch

For Marc Priestley, if the Dutchman chooses to stay with the Austrian team but the car does not meet his expectations in 2026, he could simply decide to leave the discipline for good. Max Verstappen could easily retire in the coming years. After years of continuous success, a small drought could make you lose interest in the sport. If Red Bull suddenly falls to mid-table in 2026, Verstappen will start questioning things. I can easily imagine him hanging up his boots at that moment. If Verstappen changes teams and things go well, he will continue to win. But if he doesn’t win as much as before, I can easily imagine him leaving the sport earlier than many anticipate.

Numerous speculations therefore surround the Red Bull driver, but he must first focus on the present. Preparing as best as possible for the 2025 season is a priority for the Dutchman, who hopes for a different scenario than the one experienced by Sebastian Vettel, who, after 4 consecutive titles with Red Bull, was unable to defend his chances the following year.

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