Max Verstappen’s simmering frustration with Red Bull reached a boiling point at the Miami Grand Prix, raising serious questions about his future with the team. A series of uncharacteristic mistakes, coupled with McLaren’s dominant pace, left the four-time world champion visibly furious and fueled rumors of a potential departure.

The Miami race was marred by errors from Verstappen, starting with a lockup on the opening lap that compromised his position. He repeated the mistake later under pressure from Oscar Piastri, allowing the McLaren driver to build a significant lead. To add insult to injury, a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) timing miscue dropped Verstappen behind George Russell after a pit stop, relegating him to a disappointing fourth-place finish.

Verstappen didn’t mince words when assessing his performance, stating bluntly, “It just wasn’t good enough.” He admitted to pushing hard against the McLarens, but ultimately couldn’t maintain the pace. “As soon as I wanted to go even a little bit harder, the tires got too hot again, and he just couldn’t attack again,” he lamented.

Adding to Verstappen’s woes is the emergence of Piastri as a formidable championship contender. Unlike his teammate Lando Norris, Piastri has demonstrated a ruthless streak, unafraid to make bold moves under pressure. His recent streak of victories, including four out of the first six races, positions him as a clear favorite for the title, further intensifying the pressure on Verstappen.

The Miami weekend was a comedy of errors for Red Bull. During the sprint race, a botched pit release resulted in a collision between Verstappen and Fernando Alonso, earning the Dutchman a time penalty and a rare finish outside the points. These cracks under pressure have been noted by Piastri, who acknowledged his deliberate strategy to force Verstappen into mistakes. “I tried pretty hard to get past with everything still on my car,” Piastri said. “It was not easy, but I picked my moments when I needed to.”

The combination of car performance issues and team blunders is clearly taking its toll on Verstappen. He’s forced to drive a less-than-ideal car closer to its limit, reminiscent of his more volatile days back in 2021. Even Norris observed Verstappen’s aggressive driving style, suggesting he could have secured a better result with a more measured approach. “He’s not racing very smartly,” Norris commented. “He probably could have finished third today, and he didn’t because of that.”

Red Bull’s desperation was evident in their post-race protest against Russell for allegedly failing to slow down under yellow flags. Despite Verstappen’s insistence that Russell violated the regulations, the FIA ultimately dismissed the protest, further compounding Red Bull’s frustration.

The situation is precarious for Red Bull. Verstappen is now only six points ahead of Russell in the driver’s championship, and Mercedes is poised to introduce significant upgrades to their car. If Red Bull’s planned upgrades for the Imola Grand Prix fail to deliver, Verstappen’s championship hopes could be severely jeopardized.

The potential for Verstappen to explore other options beyond 2026 is real. McLaren CEO Zak Brown admitted to contacting Verstappen to gauge his interest, revealing that a potential move could trigger a domino effect within the driver market. While Brown ultimately concluded that Verstappen is more likely to remain with Red Bull, he expressed concerns about Mercedes’ potential engine advantage in 2026.

“I look at Mercedes’s track record and body language when it comes to engines,” Brown said. “They seem very confident about it. If you ask me to look at the current situation, I would rather see Max driving for Red Bull than Mercedes.”

The “contract clause” that has been a recurring topic of discussion, hinting at Verstappen’s potential freedom to leave, is now a looming threat for Red Bull. If Verstappen’s frustration continues and he falls further behind in the championship standings, the likelihood of him exercising that clause increases dramatically.

The upcoming Italian Grand Prix will be a crucial test for Red Bull. They need to demonstrate significant progress in car development and address the team’s operational errors. The pressure is on to provide Verstappen with a competitive package and restore his confidence in the team’s ability to deliver.

The question remains: can Red Bull turn the tide and convince Verstappen to stay? Or will his mounting frustration lead to a seismic shift in the Formula 1 landscape? Only time will tell if Verstappen’s future lies with Red Bull or elsewhere.