The possibility of an early departure from Max Verstappen settled again in the surroundings of the Formula 1 and generated immediate reaction from the leadership. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIAaddressed the topic during the Miami Grand Prix and made it clear that, although the Dutch driver represents a key figure, the championship will continue its course in any scenario.
“If he leaves, we will miss him, but the sport will continue,” the leader stated. “Many stars come and go, but Formula 1 will always remain. The FIA will always remain.”
His statements come amid recent comments from Verstappen himself, who has expressed doubts about his continuity due to the technical changes planned for 2026.
The pilot of Pink Bull has questioned the approach of the new cars, especially due to the greater dependence on electrical energy and the limitations that this implies on the track. During the five-week break that the category experienced – after the suspension of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the conflict in Iran – the FIA introduced adjustments to the power unit regulations, incorporating opinions from the drivers.
Even so, Verstappen considers that the modifications are not enough. “It is not yet what we need to be able to go to the maximum. It is difficult to get everyone to agree,” he said. “I just hope that by next year we can make really big, big changes. Like I said, it’s a small adjustment, but it needs to be a lot more than that, for sure.”
Postures within the paddock and possible returns
From the FIA, the analysis is not limited to the technical. Ben Sulayem commented that he recently had a positive conversation with the driver, whom he praised for his style and mentality. He also cast doubts on the real possibility of an immediate withdrawal. “But what he says, is it really what he wants to do? I don’t… I don’t really believe it.”
Meanwhile, in sports, Verstappen continues competing. In the Miami Grand Prix classification he obtained second place and expressed more favorable feelings about the car’s performance. “I no longer feel like I’m a passenger in the car,” he said after the session.
The FIA president also referred to another relevant name in the paddock: Christian Horner. The former director of Pink Bull, fired in July last year after two decades in office, could return in the future according to Ben Sulayem. “I talk to him regularly,” he explained. “And I feel like it will come back.”
Horner led the team since his arrival as a constructor in 2005, a period in which he accumulated eight drivers’ titles. His eventual return, added to the debate over Verstappen’s future, keeps the conversation moving within Formula 1 at a time of regulatory changes and structural adjustments.
Keep reading:
· Checo Pérez regrets his result in the Miami GP: “I honestly expected more”
· Miami Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli wins; Checo Pérez and Cadillac run out of points at home
· Messi stole the attention in the prelude to the Miami GP
