The Las Vegas Grand Prix didn’t produce the most spectacular race, but after a year of ups and downs, Max Verstappen would have been glad for the excitement to take place off the track on this occasion.
Sometimes in Formula 1, the results of each session don’t tell the full story.
However, Verstappen starting in P5 and finishing in P5 was as anticlimactic as it sounds.
The Red Bull driver didn’t need to fight either of the Ferrari or Mercedes cars who possessed superior pace on the freezing cold streets of Sin City.
Lando Norris complained about a problem he had faced for six years at McLaren that meant he couldn’t keep up with Verstappen’s car and even his late fastest lap attempt made no difference to the Drivers’ Championship.
Red Bull and Verstappen can celebrate their achievements over the coming days and with the Constructors’ Championship essentially out of the question with two races to go, the pressure is off leading into the winter break.
However, attention at Red Bull’s factory will already be turning to 2025 and the new regulations in 2026.
BBC Sport commentator Harry Benjamin was speaking on the Chequered Flag Podcast about what Red Bull need to get right going into the upcoming ruleset to avoid Verstappen making an early exit from his contract.
Talking about Verstappen’s longevity in F1, Benjamin said: “Max Verstappen could race as long as he well pleases in this sport.
“I wonder, we’ve got 2026 on the way, big regulation change. The first hurdle is to know whether he will stay out his contract with Red Bull, which doesn’t end until 2028.
“But there are rumours surfacing that, well, if Red Bull powertrains don’t deliver in 2026, might he be tempted to join Adrian Newey over in Aston Martin.
“And I reckon he’ll see what 2026 brings, whether it’s at Red Bull or another team, how well his performances are, and then I think there’s a bit of pride to be taken if you can win in multiple eras of Formula One, for instance.
“Perhaps do that for a few more years and then do some sports cars and Le Mans racing. We know he wants to do that, [and] runs his own Esports team as well. That’s the way he’s going to go.”
The last four seasons have seen Red Bull and Honda create a winning power unit and chassis combination.
However, Aston Martin have secured exclusive use of Honda’s engines from the 2026 season and beyond.
This means Red Bull will be developing their own power units for the first time in partnership with Ford.
Martin Brundle has been left impressed by the Red Bull Powertrains project, but the next set of regulations are looking like the strength of a team’s engine is going to have a big impact on their success.
Audi are also developing their engine for the first time, while Alpine will use Mercedes power units after abandoning Renault’s efforts in Viry.
It’s one of many fascinating factors that are going to make 2026 so exciting, and Verstappen has made it clear he’s only interested in racing in Formula 1 if he’s winning, rather than just making up the numbers.
