Max Verstappen's future clear as Red Bull star is told to get on phone to new team

Max Verstappen has confirmed his commitment to Red Bull for the Formula One 2025 season - but former world champion Damon Hill is adamant that RB driver Yuki Tsunoda should be engineering a move elsewhere. Verstappen's future has long been discussed in the racing world after tensions escalated due to the Christian Horner investigation and links to Mercedes.

Mercedes-Benz chairman Ola Kallenius told Sky Germany in June that Verstappen "would look good in silver" while Toto Wolff has continually flirted with a move for him as he continues to look for his Lewis Hamilton replacement ahead of his move to Ferrari next year. But when asked ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Verstappen said: "I think I've said this before. Naturally, of course, people are talking but it's most important just that we just have a very competitive car for the future.

"At the moment, of course, it is very tight but we are working very well as a team to try and improve more. For sure, I said this already with the team, we are working and focusing also on next year to try and be competitive again."

However, before Sergio 'Checo' Perez's contract extension was signed, there were plenty of drivers who were looking to land the second seat at Red Bull - including Tsunoda. But Red Bull and Horner have reaffirmed that Perez will continue to get their support despite a woeful run of races which has seen him fail to make a podium since April.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, former world champion Hill has urged Tsunoda to engineer a move to another racing team to get the attention he believes that he deserves. The 63-year-old said: "If I was him, I’d be on the phone to Aston Martin now, because he’s Japanese and they got, they’ve got Honda engines coming."

Journalist Tom Clarkson discussed the narrative that Tsunoda doesn't get the "credibility" he deserves from Red Bull for his age and speed on the grid. Hill responded: "I mean he's right in saying that, I can't understand it, it doesn't make any sense.

"When you see pictures of Max leaving the circuit in the helicopter with Daniel Ricciardo and they're all smiles, you kind of get the feeling that Danny Ricc and Max would be quite happy with Danny Ricc as a teammate and so if his power is such in that team that he can almost influence that decision then I do think the pressure is on to get Danny in there."

However, Red Bull have decided to stick with Perez as they rewarded the 34-year-old with a two-year contract extension that will see him race for the team until the end of the 2026 season - though they are able to make a change at any point if results continue to dip.

Tsunoda currently drives for RB, which is one of two F1 teams owned by Red Bull, and was adamant that he was ready to make the jump to the same team as Verstappen.

Speaking to GP Blog at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Tsunoda said: "If I’m not ready, I [wouldn’t have been] able to fully announce the next season, at least for VCARB. I’ve been feeling ready for the last three years to fight against the top teams, higher positions, even with Max [Verstappen] or whatever.

"But in the end, they’re the ones who are going to decide and it’s not the things I can control. So I’m just focusing on what I have to do at the next two races."

However, Verstappen's former teammate Ricciardo and Tsunoda aren't the only ones vying for a place on Red Bull - reserve driver Liam Lawson looked set to earn a promotion with his strong driving with AlphaTauri in 2023. The 22-year-old impressed when he was behind the wheel for AlphaTauri for five races when Ricciardo was out with an injury.

This build-up of drivers wanting to step up to Red Bull in the seasons to come is one of the main reasons why Hill is urging Tsunoda to take control of his future and look elsewhere. The Japanese driver has already been linked with a move to Aston Martin previously, as his contract was set to expire by the end of the year.

However, RB did tie Tsunoda down to a new one-year-deal after the Canadian Grand Prix. Tsunoda, who has been overperforming all year with seven points finishes, addressed the interest from Aston Martin earlier this year.

Speaking to F1TV in the paddock ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, the drivers said: "Honda is keen to support me [from] 2026 onward, so [there’s] a high chance they want me to be at Aston Martin. But a seat needs to be available at Aston Martin – otherwise, there’s no chance. If not, I will have think of a different solution."

Honda will become Aston Martin's exclusive power unit supplier in 2026 after they end their current partnership with Red Bull - but there is no indication of a driver shake-up at the team with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both signing contract extensions this year.