After the Belgian Grand Prix of Formula One, it is clear that Max Ferstapen will be in the top three of the driver’s score during the summer break. After three days in the spa, which also included a sprint race, Red Bull World Champion is third with 185 points, while the fourth George Russell has 157 points. Since there are still 25 points left to claim (in the Hungarian Grand Prix), the Dutch “pilot” will certainly remain third, no matter what will happen in Hungary.
This is related to the … much -discussed performance clause in Ferstapen’s contract with Red Bull, which officially expires at the end of 2028. allowed to leave the team. However, with the result of the three -day spa, this scenario can no longer be realized, which means that the clause will not be activated for the 2026 season.
Theoretically, this does not automatically mean that a driver must stay, once the contracts can be redeemed. However, according to the Dutch newspaper “De Telegraaf”, this is not under consideration, as Ferstapen does not plan to leave Red Bull, regardless of the situation with the retirement clause.
This is aligned with recent “signals” from the Paddock, where Ferstapen himself has repeatedly stated that he still feels at his home at Red Bull – despite the fact that the results in the current season and the RB21 handling are not satisfactory.
The latter issue has not yet been resolved, despite the “package” of upgrades that the Austrian team brought to Belgium. Ferstapen made it clear on Saturday that these upgrades were a step forward with the net performance, but stressed that the problems with the car balance remain the same.
RES-EIA