Max Verstappen is set to stay at Red Bull in 2026 after moving clear of a potential exit clause in his contract at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Speculation of Verstappen leaving Red Bull had risen over recent months, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff making it clear he was interested in signing the four-time world champion for next year should the opportunity arise.
The reigning champion has a Red Bull contract until 2028, but mechanisms existed within the deal for him to potentially leave before then.
Sources had previously confirmed to ESPN that Verstappen would have been free to leave Red Bull had he been fourth or lower in the championship after Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, which is then followed by Formula 1's August break.
But after the Spa-Francorchamps weekend, he has moved out of reach of fourth-placed George Russell.
Verstappen's victory in the sprint on Saturday moved him 26 points clear -- he then added another two points to that margin during Sunday's grand prix.
A driver can claim a maximum of 25 points in a single race weekend.
Well-connected Dutch publication Der Telegraaf wrote on Sunday: "Whoever still doubted it -- Max Verstappen will drive for Red Bull Racing in 2026. ... Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is now completely sure that he will have move on to next year."
Verstappen had already hinted at staying put at Red Bull ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix when addressing the recent sacking of former team boss Christian Horner.
The wider Red Bull company has still not given a formal reason for Horner's sacking, but it was widely known in the paddock he had an acrimonious relationship with both Verstappen's father, Jos, and longtime Verstappen ally Helmut Marko, who works as an adviser to the race team.
The situation will likely get things moving in the driver market, with the uncertainty over Verstappen's next move creating a bottleneck in terms of decisions around the grid.
Ironically it was Russell who seemed most at risk from Verstappen triggering the clause. The Englishman has still not signed an extension with Mercedes beyond this season.
Russell had told the media on Thursday that he was "at peace" with the situation and revealed he had still not had a contract placed in front of him to sign, suggesting negotiations between him and Wolff are not at yet at an advanced stage.
Russell has previously said he expected to be racing at Mercedes next year and has not spoken to any other team.
Cadillac has two driver seats to fill for its 2026 F1 debut, while Alpine still appears to be assessing the market for someone to partner Pierre Gasly next season.
Tellingly, Verstappen spoke on Sunday evening about the importance of the remaining races this year in helping Red Bull get up to speed in 2026.
"I think it's still important also this year to learn certain things because they will also have an effect on next year," he said. "Because the cars will be completely different, but there are still things that we can work on and take also to next year.
"So, of course, engineering and everything, you know, the car design of course is underway for next year, but we can still learn a lot also this year."
Red Bull, now led by Laurent Mekies, are embarking on an unprecedented project next year.
- Spa stakes too high to risk safety for wet-weather drama
- Dominant Oscar Piastri wins Belgian GP, extends F1 championship lead
- Max Verstappen: Decision to delay Belgian GP was overly cautious
With its Honda partnership ending, the team is building its own Formula 1 engines at its UK headquarters in Milton Keynes.
Verstappen's longer future beyond 2026 seems set to hinge on the success of that Red Bull project.
Both Der Telegraaf and AMuS have reported that Verstappen would be free to look elsewhere if Red Bull Racing are not successful next season, suggesting the existence of similar clauses in the 2026 portion of his contract.
Waiting another year will give Verstappen the best opportunity to assess the market. A sweeping rule change like the one set for next season is impossible to predict.
Sources have told ESPN Mercedes are increasingly confident about its 2026 engine project, but that in itself is no guarantee Wolff's team will be the one to beat -- this year they are being beaten by engine customer McLaren.
Aston Martin has pumped big money into this regulation cycle and will take over Red Bull's Honda engine deal, while Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly said he joined Ferrari this year with a view to challenging for championship in 2026.