Miami Grand Prix Could Offer First Clues on Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and F1 Future

The Miami Grand Prix Sprint weekend carries unusual significance beyond the on-track action, as the paddock’s attention will be firmly fixed on Max Verstappen and what his words — and Red Bull’s performance — might reveal about his long-term future in Formula 1.

Verstappen made headlines following the Japanese Grand Prix, the last race before a five-week break, when he stated openly that he was weighing up his future in the sport. The four-time world champion has been a consistent and vocal critic of F1’s 2026 technical regulations, arguing they have fundamentally altered the nature of driving and racing in a way he finds unsatisfactory. Red Bull, meanwhile, have struggled to challenge at the sharp end of the grid since the new rules came into force.

During the hiatus between Japan and Miami, Formula 1 and the FIA convened a series of meetings with teams and moved to amend elements of the power unit regulations. The stated aim of those changes was to enable “more consistent flat-out driving” — a direct response to complaints from drivers, including Verstappen, that they were unable to push to their limits in qualifying, and that the so-called “yoyo” style of racing — largely dictated by energy deployment levels — was damaging the spectacle.

Whether those regulatory adjustments go far enough to satisfy Verstappen remains to be seen. The Dutchman was unambiguous in his post-race assessment in China, where he retired from the second round of the season. “I would say the same if I would be winning races, because I care about the racing product. It’s not about being upset of where I am, because I’m actually fighting even more now, of course,” he said. “So you get to understand what you have to do and what it is about even more. For me, it’s really a joke.”

Adding another layer of complexity to his situation is the announcement that race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will depart Red Bull for McLaren by 2028 at the latest. The news came during the five-week break and, while Verstappen was reportedly aware of the situation before it became public, it represents another notable exit from the Milton Keynes outfit. Lambiase joins a list of senior Red Bull figures who have left in recent years, including car designer Adrian Newey, former team principal Christian Horner, advisor Helmut Marko, now-McLaren technical director Rob Marshall, and former head of strategy Will Courtenay, who has also moved to McLaren as sporting director.

The relationship between Verstappen and Lambiase carries particular weight. After claiming his first world championship in 2021, Verstappen stated he would leave F1 if Lambiase were no longer his engineer. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has sought to contextualise the situation, insisting Verstappen has been kept fully informed throughout. “We speak pretty much daily with Max. He was fully aware of the full extent of the discussions we were having with GP [Lambiase]. A, because of his own relationship with GP and B, because we are an open book,” Mekies said.

Mekies also pushed back against any suggestion that Verstappen’s commitment to the project is wavering. “We often say Max is not outside of the project, judging the project. He’s inside with us. He was here yesterday, he was here the day before at the simulator. And so, on that front, he understands extremely well that we have done a long cycle together. We have a massive reservoir of talents in the team, and we have every opportunity to make that a chance to go to an even stronger level.”

Verstappen’s current contract with Red Bull runs until the end of the 2028 season. However, according to Sky Sports News, performance-related clauses exist within that deal which could allow him to exit before the contract expires. McLaren are also reported to be pushing to secure Lambiase’s services ahead of the 2028 deadline, which could further accelerate the timeline of key decisions for all parties involved.

Verstappen is expected to face questions about his future during media day on Thursday in Miami. How Red Bull’s car performs across the Sprint weekend may itself prove instructive — a strong showing from the upgraded package could ease tensions, while another difficult weekend would only sharpen the scrutiny on what comes next for one of the sport’s most dominant figures of the modern era.