Max Verstappen privately informed Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner that he intends to retire from Formula 1 at the end of the current season, according to sources with direct knowledge of the conversation. The disclosure is said to have been made several weeks before the story became public, giving the team time to begin planning a response.
Following the disclosure, Red Bull entered preliminary conversations with the representatives of at least two candidate drivers about potential replacements for the 2026 season, the same sources said. One person familiar with the matter described those conversations as operational rather than exploratory — the kind of groundwork that is laid when a decision has been made and the timeline is fixed.
Those closest to Verstappen described him as having been "at peace" with his decision for some time. Several people who have spoken with him in recent months said his demeanour had not reflected the kind of uncertainty that surrounds a genuinely undecided situation. "He's made up his mind," one person said. "The people around him know it. They've known for a while."
Horner has declined to confirm the reports, maintaining at successive media appearances that the team is "focused on the championship" and that the relationship with Verstappen remains strong. His refusal to deny the retirement reports specifically has been noted by journalists covering Formula 1.
At his most recent race weekend press conference, Verstappen was asked four separate times whether he would be racing in Formula 1 next season. He declined to answer directly on each occasion. "I will make an announcement when the time is right," he said. The consistency of that response, and his refusal to issue a simple denial, has been interpreted by those in the paddock as meaningful.
Verstappen, 27, holds four world championships and has been the dominant force in Formula 1 since 2021. He has spoken in interviews over the past two years about his desire for a life beyond racing and his unwillingness to continue in the sport without full personal commitment. "If the fire isn't there, I won't be there," he said in a profile published eighteen months ago.
Replacing a driver of his standing within a single off-season would represent one of the most significant personnel transitions in the sport's modern era. Red Bull's early conversations with alternative candidates reflect the scale of the task the team is preparing for.