Verstappen ‘feeling good’ despite Red Bull’s difficult 2026 season

Verstappen keeps focus on racing despite Red Bull uncertainty

Max Verstappen says he is “feeling good” about his place in Formula 1, even as Red Bull enters the summer break winless and fourth in the standings. The four-time world champion also indicated that, despite continued speculation over his future, his immediate priority remains extracting performance from a difficult car.

Red Bull’s RB22 has fallen short of expectations and proved challenging to set up and drive. The team’s situation has been complicated by the performance of Red Bull-Ford Powertrains, which exceeded expectations with its first power unit but is not permitted to improve its engine because of its position in the ADUO upgrade system.

That combination has left Verstappen facing two unresolved questions: whether Red Bull can return to winning form and whether Formula 1’s 2026 regulations can become more appealing. The rules are set to be tweaked further for 2027, but Verstappen insisted ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that his attention was on the team’s performance rather than his contract situation.

‘I love racing’ — but the current package is not what he wants

Verstappen contrasted his position with that of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who has said that his enjoyment of the regulations will influence his decision about the future. Alonso, aged 45, was also described by Verstappen as being in a different position from the 28-year-old Dutchman.

“Of course, Fernando is 45, so it’s probably a bit easier for him to say: ‘I quit,’” Verstappen said. “But as a real racer, it’s tough, especially when you’re not enjoying the regulations and you’re not competitive at the moment. Fernando, of course, doesn’t deserve to be in P21.”

Verstappen added that he could stop racing immediately if he chose to, but made clear that retirement was not his current intention.

“I mean, of course I can easily stop, it’s not a problem, but I love racing, and I’m just trying to deal with what we have, even though what we have at the moment is not what I like.”

Red Bull’s upward trend offers limited encouragement

The Hungarian weekend underlined the scale of Red Bull’s challenge. Verstappen and team-mate Isack Hadjar both struggled for confidence in an unpredictable RB22, although Verstappen’s strong race pace carried him to second place. The shared difficulties are also reflected in Hadjar’s account of Red Bull’s RB22 struggles.

Verstappen said there was no fresh development regarding his future and that his focus was on understanding the car and returning Red Bull to winning ways.

“This team is like a second family to me,” he said. “I’m just trying to understand our car a bit better, and get back to winning ways.”

For now, his message is measured: the RB22 remains a serious problem, but Red Bull’s progress is moving in the right direction. Whether that upward trend becomes strong enough to secure Verstappen’s longer-term commitment remains unresolved.