'Verstappen leaving Red Bull would cause F1 driver market chaos'

Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull would cause "chaos" in the Formula 1 driver market, according to Sky Sports F1's Simon Lazenby.

Sky Sports News understands Verstappen's camp initiated talks with McLaren last week and Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies admitted his team need to prove to the Dutchman he should not switch teams for 2027.

Verstappen has a Red Bull contract until the end of 2028 but is understood to have an exit clause in his deal that would allow him to join another team in 2027 should he be outside the top two positions in the Drivers' Championship at the start of this season's summer break in August.

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With three races remaining before the summer break, Verstappen is seventh in the standings, 58 points behind second-placed George Russell, who trails his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli by 40 points.

On the latest episode of The F1 Show, Lazenby said: "The key is Max Verstappen. If someone takes Max, then the whole thing is chaos again."

Verstappen leaving Red Bull would have implications for the rest of the grid as there would be a seat available at one of F1's top teams.

While a swap between Oscar Piastri and Verstappen could take place, Red Bull may also consider signing Carlos Sainz from Williams or promoting Britain's Arvid Lindblad from Racing Bulls.

'Everyone is doing their jobs'

Asked on the grid ahead of Sunday's race at the Austrian Grand Prix whether Verstappen could find a home at McLaren, the team's chief executive Zak Brown did not completely shut down the idea.

"I would be very surprised if Lando or Oscar went elsewhere because they are very happy," Brown told Sky Sports F1.

"Of course we have got contracts, but, even besides that, contracts aside, we are very happy with them, and they are very happy here.

"If for some strange reason someone slipped on a banana peel getting out of the tub, then of course Max is a four-time world champion."

Sky Sports F1's David Croft says it is natural for Brown, in his role as chief executive, to have talks with other drivers.

"I don't think it's Zak saying, 'I want to get rid of Lando', or 'I want to get rid of Oscar', but as a CEO of one of the leading teams and the defending constructors' champions, you've got to know what's out there, and you've got to have these sorts of conversations," he said.

"That said, I'm not quite sure I'd have been hugely amused if I was Oscar Piastri or his management that Zak was having this conversation because the inference is if Max came, Oscar would be the one to make way because Lando has won that world championship.

"Saying that, there'd probably be a seat then at Red Bull for Oscar Piastri, and he could do a straight swap."

Sky Sports F1's Karun Chandhok added: "I think there's a point here that everyone's actually just doing their jobs as well.

"[Verstappen's manager] Raymond Vermeulen's job is to look at every option available for his client. Zak's job is to see if the number one driver on the grid is available, and so should every other team principal.

"If you are Zak, if you are Fred [Vasseur], if you were any other team principal, you should be talking to Raymond Vermeulen and finding out what the story is."

Sky Sports F1's British GP schedule

Thursday July 2
2pm: Drivers' Press Conference
6pm: The F1 Show

Friday July 3
7.40am: F1 Academy Practice
8.45am: F3 Practice
9.55am: F2 Practice
12pm: British GP Practice (session starts at 12.30pm)*
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying*
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying*
3.35pm: British GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 4.30pm)*
5.55pm: F1 Academy Qualifying

Saturday July 4
9.30am: F3 Sprint*
11am: British GP Sprint build-up*
12pm: BRITISH GP SPRINT*
1.40pm: F2 Sprint*
2.50pm: British GP Qualifying build-up*
4pm: BRITISH GP QUALIFYING*
6pm: F1 Academy Race 1
6.45pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook

Sunday July 5
8.20am: F3 Feature Race*
9.55am: F1 Academy Race 2*
11.10am: F2 Feature Race*
12.55pm: Grand Prix Sunday: British GP build-up*
3pm: THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX*
5pm: Chequered Flag: British GP reaction
6pm: Ted's Notebook

*also on Sky Sports Main Event

Next up in the 2026 Formula 1 season is the big one, a Sprint weekend at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix - live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky One with coverage from Thursday to Sunday's race at 3pm. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime