Still without a win in 2026, Max Verstappen is going through a difficult period with Red Bull. Stefan Johansson believes that the Dutchman would not lack options if he decided to leave.
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Max Verstappen was no longer used to experiencing such a complicated season. After eleven Grands Prix contested in 2026, the four-time world champion has still not won a single race and now seems very far from being able to claim a fifth consecutive crown.
The Dutchman has certainly secured four podiums and scored 109 points, but the inconsistent performance of the RB22 and the numerous technical problems encountered since the beginning of the year have regularly caused his frustration.
A situation that also continues to fuel questions about his future at Red Bull. For Stefan Johansson, former Formula 1 driver, Verstappen must above all accept an unavoidable reality of the sport: even the best driver cannot become champion without having a car capable of competing at the front.
A frustrating first half of the season for Verstappen
The introduction of the new regulations in 2026 represented a huge challenge for Red Bull. The Austrian team became a constructor of its own power unit for the first time, a particularly ambitious project that came with several difficulties.
Verstappen was notably a victim of engine-related problems, but also rear wing failures. Incidents that added to the handling difficulties of an RB22 unable to regularly compete with the best cars.
Despite these limitations, the Dutchman managed to reach the podium four times. Performances that impress Stefan Johansson.
“I can understand his frustration. If you don’t have the necessary car, you simply won’t win.”
“This is the reality”
According to the former Swedish driver, the history of Formula 1 shows that individual talent cannot indefinitely compensate for a car’s weaknesses.
“There has never been a world champion who did not have the best car. This is simply the reality.”
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Johansson nevertheless believes that Verstappen continues to achieve results far beyond what the intrinsic performance of his Red Bull could suggest.
“He still manages to perform miracles most of the time. He remains obviously an incredibly talented driver.”
A statement all the more significant as Red Bull currently only has the fourth-best car in the hierarchy.
An uncertain future at Red Bull
The question now is how long Verstappen will accept to continue in this situation.
His contract with Red Bull officially runs until the end of the 2028 season, but some performance-related clauses would allow him to leave the team as early as the end of 2026.
The Dutchman has also not yet confirmed that he will stay at Milton Keynes next season, fueling speculation about a possible transfer.
For Johansson, one thing is certain: if Verstappen decided to leave, there would be no shortage of suitors.
“I am sure he would not lack options! I think all teams would be ready to make huge sacrifices to have him in their car.”
At 28 years old and with four world titles to his name, Verstappen remains one of the most sought-after drivers on the grid. If Red Bull does not quickly manage to find a car capable of winning regularly, the question of his future could become one of the major issues of the second half of the season.
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