F1 News: Piquet tips Verstappen to decide future in 'mid-2026'

(GMM) A person quite close to Max Verstappen, Nelson Piquet Jr., thinks the Dutchman will stay at Red Bull in 2026.

Currently, the quadruple world champion is being strongly linked with a move to Mercedes or Aston Martin, in order to escape the performance decline and turmoil at Red Bull just as radical new regulations will debut.

However, Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said in Saudi Arabia recently that he is “convinced” that 27-year-old Verstappen will “continue the long journey he’s taken” with the brand next year.

A similar message is now emerging from Nelson Piquet junior.

(L to R) Nelson Piquet Jr., Nelson Piquet Sr, Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet

“He will make a decision in the middle of 2026 as to what he wants to do,” said the Brazilian.

Piquet, the son of triple world champion Piquet senior, is best known in Formula 1 for his central involvement in the ‘crashgate’ scandal of 2008.

However, he is also the brother of Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly.

“Let’s suppose that Mercedes starts 2026 with a huge gap like they did at the start of the hybrid era in 2014,” Piquet, 39, told the Pelas Pistas podcast.

“For the other teams to recover, it will take at least two to three seasons.”

Therefore, Piquet thinks Verstappen will observe 2026 from the cockpit of his Red Bull and then decide what to do next.

“Max will make his decision about his future in mid-2026, but he will announce it at the end of the season,” he declared.