Helmut Marko accuses Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for role in Max Verstappen departure rumors

Red Bull Racing's advisor Helmut Marko blamed Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for triggering Max Verstappen exit rumors. Verstappen is under contract at Red Bull for three more years, but triggering the exit clause will see him in a different team, potentially at Mercedes, as per the F1 rumor mill.

Verstappen has always been synonymous with Red Bull since his days in F1. The bright kid who debuted in the sport in 2015 as a Toro Ross driver, found himself at the back of a Red Bull car as early as 2016 and has been there since then.

Max Verstappen has won the last four F1 titles and has 65 race wins and 117 podiums for the Austrian brigade. While the past has been a rollercoaster ride for the Hasselt-born driver, the future looks bleak, as Red Bull is set to embark on a new journey involving Powertrains.

The Austrian team will build engines with the help of Ford and compete in Formula 1 under the new regulations, set to arrive in 2026. That comes amid Red Bull's downward spiral, something that hasn't changed since mid-2024.

As a result, Verstappen is nearly out of the F1 title race this season. Meanwhile, he's barely a few points away from triggering an exit clause that could set him free from the Red Bull clause. Given the Milton Keynes-based team's performance, one wouldn't be surprised if the Dutch driver triggers the exit clause and moves out.

However, Marko believes it was Wolff who triggered such rumors. While Verstappen himself didn't mention anything about an exit, the Red Bull boss pointed at his Mercedes counterpart.

"That was annoying recently,” Marko told Kronen Zeitung with a smile. "Above all, everyone thought they knew better than us what the exit clause looked like. It was all fuelled a bit by Toto.”

As per his exit clause, Verstappen wouldn't be under P3 at any cost by the summer break in any of the seasons. The Dutchman is 28 points ahead of George Russell, in P4. With a maximum of 25 points available in Hungary, the exit clause is unlikely to be triggered.

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Helmut Marko confirmed Max Verstappen's future at Red Bull

Helmut Marko, the top advisor for Red Bull Racing, confirmed that Max Verstappen will remain at the team for the 2026 season.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks with Dr Helmut Marko - Source: Getty

Speaking about that, the Austrian executive said:

"Yes, I can confirm that Max Verstappen will drive for Red Bull in 2026."

As per his current contract, Verstappen is tied to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season. However, things could change midway through 2026, depending on how Red Bull work with their Powertrains without Honda.

Edited by Bhargav