Sky F1 reporter drops Max Verstappen bombshell amid Red Bull exit rumours

Sky Sports F1 reporter Simon Lazenby has dropped a major bombshell on Max Verstappen's future amid rumours linking him with a move away from Red Bull.

After winning four F1 world titles in a row, 2025 looks likely to be the year that Verstappen's dominance stops.

So far this season, a McLaren driver has won three out of four races, with Verstappen winning the Japanese Grand Prix earlier in the month.

Mid-way through the 2024 campaign, Red Bull suffered a sudden dip in form, which kick-started the rumour mill linking the Dutchman with a move away.

With the Milton Keynes-based team seemingly falling behind the likes of McLaren and Mercedes, Verstappen has again been linked with an exit and it has been claimed that a clause in his contract could be triggered.

Now, Sky Sports' Lazenby has provided an update on Verstappen's situation.

Speaking on the F1 Show, Lazenby said: "Everybody’s talking about it in the paddock. There’s no two ways about it.

"You go up to people from Dutch media, some of them are saying ‘we think it’s done already’. Others are saying he’s in discussions."

He continued: "This is the nature of it. We might as well report what we see, report what we hear. Names will remain anonymous, but there are some that are saying he’s going off to Aston Martin.

"There are some that are saying why on Earth, when we think the dynos and the info coming out of Brixworth is that Mercedes are looking really strong for 2026?"

Max Verstappen has been linked with a move away from Red Bull. Image: Getty

After the race in Bahrain, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko admitted there is concern over Verstappen's future.

As reported by Planet F1, he said: "It’s clear. We must make progress that is not expressed in points, but on the stopwatch. With such a performance, it won’t be anything to do with the World Championship.

"The concern is great. As I said, improvements have to come in the near future so that he (Verstappen) has a car with which he can win again. We have to create a basis with a car so that he can fight for the World Championship."

Verstappen is currently contracted with Red Bull until 2028.

F1 will return this weekend with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which will take place around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

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