Fresh twist in Max Verstappen’s future as sabbatical suggested by paddock insider

Max Verstappen could be open to taking a sabbatical in 2026 as speculation surrounding his F1 future grows. 

Verstappen’s future has dominated the media headlines across this weekend’s F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Talk about Verstappen possibly leaving Red Bull at the end of the season stemmed from Helmut Marko’s comments after the race in Bahrain.

Marko said he ‘feared’ Verstappen leaving the team amid Red Bull’s poor on-track performance.

Reports in the Italian press have since claimed that Aston Martin are set to table a mammoth offer for Verstappen worth €264m across three years.

However, there’s been a fresh twist in rumours surrounding Verstappen’s future.

According to reputable BBC journalist Andrew Benson, Verstappen could be tempted to take a sabbatical and sit out next year.

It would allow Verstappen to assess his options in 2026 to see which team is performing well in the new regulations.

2026 will see entirely new engine and chassis rules come into play, meaning the competitive order is impossible to predict.

Additionally, his partner, Kelly Piquet, is currently pregnant, so it would give Verstappen time to spend with his new child. 

Speaking on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Benson said: “One of the most intriguing stories around Verstappen at the moment is that he could maybe take a sabbatical next year, just see how the rules go and then pick a team for 2027,” Benson said.

“That’s an idea that was mentioned to me without me even asking by someone quite close to Max Verstappen, so I wouldn’t rule that out as an idea either. I don’t know whether they’re just playing games of course, just to stir the pot a bit. But why not?”

Sabbaticals aren’t unusual, with F1 world champions Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, and Fernando Alonso all taking breaks before returning to the sport.

Schumacher left Ferrari at the end of 2006 but made a shock return with Mercedes in 2010.

Raikkonen also left the Italian team prematurely to make way for Alonso for 2010.

The Finn would ultimately be tempted back to the sport with Lotus in 2012.

Alonso was fed up with McLaren’s underperformance and stepped away at the end of 2018.

The break from F1 allowed him to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Daytona.

The Spaniard returned with Alpine in 2021.

Max Verstappen’s F1 future

Verstappen has insisted that while he’s happy at Red Bull, he wants to race in the fastest car.

This hasn’t been the case since the middle of last year due to McLaren’s resurgence.

Given Red Bull's recent struggles, Verstappen looks unlikely to win a fifth consecutive drivers’ title this year.

He finished a lowly sixth in Bahrain and had to wait until the final lap to get past Pierre Gasly.

However, Verstappen’s options for 2026 are limited.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff seems happy with his current driver line-up despite showing serious interest in Verstappen as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement.

Aston Martin could be an option, even though Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have contracts for next year.

The Adrian Newey-Honda link makes it an obvious fit for Verstappen, but the Silverstone-based team’s form in 2025 will be a concern.