Regardless, Verstappen hinted at Spa that he is likely to stay at Red Bull for 2026, despite the team’s underperformance this season. As a result, George Russell looks set to stay at Mercedes for at least the 2026 season, with talks expected to get underway shortly.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen will not be able to trigger the performance clause in his contract with the team as he heads into the F1 summer break within the top three of the championship

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen finished in fourth place at the Belgian Grand Prix, but he was left unhappy after a controversial start.