Max Verstappen’s future has been questioned recently but Fernando Alonso thinks the three-time F1 world champion will not be going anywhere;Β watch every session of the Japanese GP on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event with the race at 6am on Sunday
Nigel Chiu
If Verstappen were to leave Red Bull, it would have massive implications on the driver market and Alonso is one of 12 drivers without a contract for 2025.
Alonso, who wants to make a decision on his own future before the summer break in August, has been linked to replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes and is also in discussions over a new contract with Aston Martin.
So I think that’s something that I’m not thinking too much about. What I want to do is just concentrate on my stuff here and just this race, before, the summer, to make a decision of if I keep racing around, and if I keep racing, where will be the best possibility.
“That stress that is happening, I know the rumours and things like that. We are not into those too much, I’m not into those for sure.”
Verstappen ‘very happy’ at Red Bull
A major consideration for all the F1 drivers will be the new 2026 regulations and which teams will be most competitive when the new technical regulations are introduced.
More emphasis will be put on electrical power as the MGU-H, a part of the power unit, is ditched with F1 looking to become more sustainable.
Red Bull will build their own power units from Milton Keynes in partnership with Ford as they end their current engine relationship with Honda from 2026.
The last major power unit regulation change in 2014 saw the pecking order change significantly, which could be the case again in 2026.