Montoya Backs Verstappen to Stay Despite Red Bull Struggles

The future of Max Verstappen at Red Bull remains one of the hottest topics in the paddock. But former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya is confident the world champion will stay, despite growing frustration with the RB22's lack of competitiveness in 2026.

Red Bull is enduring a tough campaign. Their car has consistently been the slowest among the top four teams, and they have yet to secure a single grand prix victory. This situation has fueled speculation, especially with Verstappen holding performance-related exit clauses in his contract that could allow him to leave before its expiration in 2028.

Montoya believes Verstappen's strong criticism of the car is a strategic move to pressure the team into improving, similar to their mid-season turnaround in 2025. "I don't think Max wants to leave Red Bull. You're in one of the best F1 teams, probably the best team in the last 20 years, with Mercedes. You're in the right place," Montoya told F1.

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It's true that a lot of people have left, but they're still performing. Last year, they nearly came back and won the championship. "I think he wants to see that from the team, and it's just about putting pressure on them," he added.

Verstappen has been linked to Mercedes in the past, and more recently McLaren has been touted as a potential destination. Former driver Stefan Johansson, a 12-time podium finisher, believes Verstappen would have no shortage of options if he decided to leave. "I can understand the frustration. If you don't have the car, you're not going to win. There's never been a World Champion that didn't have the best car. That's the reality of it," Johansson said.

He added that Verstappen is still performing at an incredible level and every team would want him. "He's still creating miracles most of the time, and he's still unbelievably good, obviously. I'm sure there's no shortage of options! I think every team would give their right arm to have him in the car," he concluded.