Will Max Verstappen leave Red Bull? Could Fernando Alonso retire? F1's biggest 'silly season' rumours

Max Verstappen’s next move is again at the center of Formula 1 “silly season” talk, even though he’s under a £50m-a-year Red Bull deal through the end of 2028. The four-time champion has an exit clause tied to standings: if he’s outside the top two by the summer break, he can leave. After the 2024 title, Red Bull finished third in the constructors’ championship last year and fourth at the 2026 summer break; Verstappen is currently sixth and 110 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli. The most discussed destinations are Mercedes and McLaren, with Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso also linked elsewhere.