Alan Permane stated that a possible departure of Max Verstappen from Red Bull would not have a direct impact on the Racing Bulls in Formula 1. For the Faenza team’s chief, any change involving the Dutch driver would be a matter confined to Red Bull’s main operation.
Verstappen’s future has become one of the season’s main talking points amid recurring reports of a possible exit from the team. Seventh in the standings after ten rounds, the four-time champion could trigger a performance clause in his contract, valid through the end of 2028, and leave Red Bull as early as the end of this year.
McLaren recently emerged as the most commonly cited destination, with rumors suggesting a potential deal could involve a swap with Oscar Piastri. Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, and Raymond Vermeulen, Verstappen’s adviser, publicly denied the existence of such talks.
As Racing Bulls operates as a development space for young drivers tied to Red Bull, Permane was asked about possible consequences for the team if Verstappen were to leave Milton Keynes. The Briton dismissed any immediate impact.
“In my team, that would not have an impact, because he does not drive for me. I think this is really a question for Laurent,” Permane said, referring to Laurent Mekies, the head of Red Bull.
The official stressed that the decision on the main squad’s driver pairing does not fall to the Racing Bulls. “Max doesn’t race for me, and it will be up to Laurent to decide who will be his drivers next season,” he added.
Permane also avoided forecasting the potential effects of Verstappen’s move on the driver market. According to him, there are many unknown variables still to be determined to foresee how a possible change could alter the makeup of teams for 2027.
