Red Bull boss responds to bombshell Max Verstappen F1 retirement talk

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has downplayed the prospect of Max Verstappen sensationally retiring from Formula 1 due to his ongoing frustrations.

Four-time world champion Verstappen admitted he is considering quitting F1 at the end of the 2026 season because of his continued dissatisfaction with the series’ new power unit regulations.

Asked whether he was going to walk away from F1 at the end of the year, Verstappen told BBC Sport: “That’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock.

"Privately I'm very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time it's 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you're not enjoying your sport?”

However, Mekies was quick to play down suggestions the Dutchman, who is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028, could retire from F1 at the age of just 28.

"We are having zero discussions about those aspects," Mekies told media including Crash.net Sunday at Suzuka. "We have a lot of work to do, but I'm sure by the time we give him a fast car, he will be a much happier Max.

"And by the time we give him a car that he can push and make the difference with, he will also be a happier Max. So, honestly, that's 100% of our discussions right now, is that.

"And as per the regs, as you know, they are coming with some good aspects and more tricky aspects. And as a sport, with the other teams, we will meet in the break to see how we can tweak them to make things better.”

Red Bull now a “distant fourth”

Verstappen could only finish eighth in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix after suffering a shock elimination in the second part of qualifying the day before.

The Red Bull driver made little progress in the race and ended up stuck behind Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.

Verstappen regularly complained about the handling and balance of his Red Bull throughout the weekend in Japan, labelling it as “undriveable”.

Mekies admitted Red Bull has fallen to a “distant fourth” in the 2026 pecking order, behind current benchmark Mercedes, Ferrari and reigning champions McLaren, who enjoyed its strongest weekend of the season so far in Japan.

"There is nothing to be happy about today, but in terms of overall gap to the competitions, it looked not too dissimilar to the Melbourne pictures in terms of one second to the best guy, half a second to the best Ferrari. But now, McLaren is at that same level. So, we are a distant fourth. That's the reality," he said.

"And I think it's a combination of underlying performance, Melbourne or here. So, some more work we need to do. And a layer of us not being able to extract enough from the package and to give something Max can push with.

"And I'm not suggesting that it's set up tuning. I'm just saying there is something we are wrestling with, with that car that adds to our underlying lack of performance. Now, trying to solve this sort of complex issues and trying to understand complex limitations is our core business.

"So, as much as it feels bad when you are at the back of the top teams like now, that's precisely what the whole campus is set up to do, to get to the bottom of complex limitations like that and nail them, bring development that can mitigate them and improve. And it feels bad now, but I have full confidence that that's exactly what our team is very good at.”