Max Verstappen will reportedly remain with his lifelong team through the 2026 season after clearing an exit clause following the Belgian Grand Prix, ESPN's Nate Saunders reported Monday.

Moreover, team principal Christian Horner was dismissed from his role by Red Bull, though Verstappen has since said his exit will not have any bearing on his own future. Throughout the entire saga, it has been known that there is a performance-related release clause in Verstappen’s contract which runs until 2028.

Max Verstappen is now guaranteed to be positioned in the top-three in the drivers’ championship for the F1 summer break – meaning he cannot activate an exit clause in his Red Bull contract. The Dutchman’s fourth-place finish in the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday means,