Max's new team?
Discussion
This thread is based on the assumption that Max is starting his final season at RBR - obviously that assumption could be false! But I personally think it's very likely he will leave, and there's no harm in discussing where he would likely go if he did.
So... On the basis that one of the reasons it's suspected he will depart is Red Bulls first foray into an in-house designed PU for a new regs era, that would suggest a safer bet is Ferrari or Merc power, both of whom are know to build great engines and have endless experience of doing so successfully. It's near impossible to imagine him finding his way into Ferrari now they've chosen LH so that means Merc... Or at least Merc power, which McLaren are using to great effect these days. Maybe McLaren?
Or the obvious sounding place, AM - who have Honda AND Newey on board, so it's a home from home for Max.
What do the rest of you procrastinators think?
So... On the basis that one of the reasons it's suspected he will depart is Red Bulls first foray into an in-house designed PU for a new regs era, that would suggest a safer bet is Ferrari or Merc power, both of whom are know to build great engines and have endless experience of doing so successfully. It's near impossible to imagine him finding his way into Ferrari now they've chosen LH so that means Merc... Or at least Merc power, which McLaren are using to great effect these days. Maybe McLaren?
Or the obvious sounding place, AM - who have Honda AND Newey on board, so it's a home from home for Max.
What do the rest of you procrastinators think?
FourWheelDrift said:
Is Honda is struggling with it's 2026 engine destined for Aston Martin.
The Japanese can be very blunt when discussing their projects - and I'm sure they are struggling because the 26' PU regs are a right ballache for anyone that's challenged to tackle them! Whoever puts the finest new PU on track will definitely have struggled to do so.Tbh I would put more significance in the fact that Red Bulls new PU division has never built a ground up PU of their own design, than I would worry about the Japanese saying they were 'struggling', which could indeed just be a poor choice of words.
Let's take it as read that everyone will be struggling with these new PU regs, regardless of whether or not they use that word publicly or even if they mean to use that word. These new cars are going to make approx half their wheel power from electric drive and to keep the battery primed is a complex trade off between how the PU is designed an how the car is actually driven. It's a huge shift in PU design requirement and philosophy - backing the right horse isn't easy but the difference between approaches from different manufacturers will likely be quite striking over a GP distance. I'm not suggesting Honda will necessarily get it right, simply that they're more likely to get it more right than the Red Bull start up operation. As are Merc and Ferrari.
It's a big gamble as to who to move to for 26'!
I doubt he goes anywhere else, I think Max has a desire to do endurance racing and also to get heavily involved in the sim racing to real racing scene, he has invested into a team that is running in GTWC this year and I can see him wanting to do this sort of stuff far more, probably running LMP" and 3 or at least putting his name to it.
He will get tempters for sure, and if he maintains his level they will be utterly ridiculous from people like Merc, Ferrari and maybe Audi, but I think he tires of the F1 slog, the media and he adores the pure simple way of driving in endurance racing and that sort of thing.
Money will talk, but it will not keep him here on its own, he has enough already
He will get tempters for sure, and if he maintains his level they will be utterly ridiculous from people like Merc, Ferrari and maybe Audi, but I think he tires of the F1 slog, the media and he adores the pure simple way of driving in endurance racing and that sort of thing.
Money will talk, but it will not keep him here on its own, he has enough already
bergclimber34 said:
I doubt he goes anywhere else, I think Max has a desire to do endurance racing and also to get heavily involved in the sim racing to real racing scene, he has invested into a team that is running in GTWC this year and I can see him wanting to do this sort of stuff far more, probably running LMP" and 3 or at least putting his name to it.
He will get tempters for sure, and if he maintains his level they will be utterly ridiculous from people like Merc, Ferrari and maybe Audi, but I think he tires of the F1 slog, the media and he adores the pure simple way of driving in endurance racing and that sort of thing.
Money will talk, but it will not keep him here on its own, he has enough already
I guess it depends to what extent he considers F1 to be the true pinnacle of motorsport. I would say there are good arguments that motorsport is indeed more pure (and less faffy) elsewhere...He will get tempters for sure, and if he maintains his level they will be utterly ridiculous from people like Merc, Ferrari and maybe Audi, but I think he tires of the F1 slog, the media and he adores the pure simple way of driving in endurance racing and that sort of thing.
Money will talk, but it will not keep him here on its own, he has enough already
On that basis I would accept that it's perhaps as likely he will simply leave the sport as it is he will jump teams.
The question is, how much does he value F1 success? Or more poignantly, how keen is he to try and equal/beat LH and MS records. He can't really say he's 'won' at F1 until he can do that, and he does seem to be motivated by winning above all other considerations.
richhead said:
He would be daft to move at the end of this year, either move now and hit the new regs with a year with a team, or move for 2027 when things are more known, Audi might be a shout, but I think he will leave F1 at the end of the year to pursue other racing, virtual or real
He has the fastest car for this season that he has (or had) a chance of getting I think. He also has a contract in place, which he can afford to break of course but... that would be an eye watering expense for the sake of getting out of a fast car into another fast car.I think McLaren would have him 26' onwards but not this year, because this year the most tantalising thing to do is to beat him! I bet they're taking to him about 26 though... As will AM be doing. Not so sure about Merc, Toto acknowledges he's a great driver but I think there's a culture class between the team and driver that he's rightfully nervous about.
The time to need to move is definitely the new regs era. That's when it becomes more of a need and less of a maybe. If I'm right, he'll make that decision during this season.
I also think he will want to retire with an unbreakable record of championships, but nobody knows who will be strong with the new regs in 26, yet, my guess is he will go to whoever that is, but I don't think it will be in the first year of the regs., from what I've heard from people that would know, he's not great at developing a car, he can adapt well to what he's given, but would rather someone else develops it.
Max has generally been a straight forward and plain speaker IMO.
So when he talks about not wanting to hang around in the sport as an older driver, and has zero interest in setting a record number of WDCs, then I'm happy to take those statements at face value.
It may turn out to be puff, but I could see him walking away fairly soon.
If he decides to stay in F1 for 2026, I think it will either be with Aston Martin, or sticking with Red Bull.
So when he talks about not wanting to hang around in the sport as an older driver, and has zero interest in setting a record number of WDCs, then I'm happy to take those statements at face value.
It may turn out to be puff, but I could see him walking away fairly soon.
If he decides to stay in F1 for 2026, I think it will either be with Aston Martin, or sticking with Red Bull.
Rotary Potato said:
Max has generally been a straight forward and plain speaker IMO.
So when he talks about not wanting to hang around in the sport as an older driver, and has zero interest in setting a record number of WDCs, then I'm happy to take those statements at face value.
It may turn out to be puff, but I could see him walking away fairly soon.
If he decides to stay in F1 for 2026, I think it will either be with Aston Martin, or sticking with Red Bull.
^^this^^So when he talks about not wanting to hang around in the sport as an older driver, and has zero interest in setting a record number of WDCs, then I'm happy to take those statements at face value.
It may turn out to be puff, but I could see him walking away fairly soon.
If he decides to stay in F1 for 2026, I think it will either be with Aston Martin, or sticking with Red Bull.
Rotary Potato said:
Max has generally been a straight forward and plain speaker IMO.
So when he talks about not wanting to hang around in the sport as an older driver, and has zero interest in setting a record number of WDCs, then I'm happy to take those statements at face value.
It may turn out to be puff, but I could see him walking away fairly soon.
If he decides to stay in F1 for 2026, I think it will either be with Aston Martin, or sticking with Red Bull.
Agreed, with one caveatSo when he talks about not wanting to hang around in the sport as an older driver, and has zero interest in setting a record number of WDCs, then I'm happy to take those statements at face value.
It may turn out to be puff, but I could see him walking away fairly soon.
If he decides to stay in F1 for 2026, I think it will either be with Aston Martin, or sticking with Red Bull.
I could see him taking a sabbatical - Kalle Rovanpera-style - for a year.
richhead said:
I also think he will want to retire with an unbreakable record of championships,
IINM, he has repeatedly spoken about not chasing records, including number of titles.TheDeuce said:
He has the fastest car for this season that he has (or had) a chance of getting I think. He also has a contract in place, which he can afford to break of course but... that would be an eye watering expense for the sake of getting out of a fast car into another fast car.
I think McLaren would have him 26' onwards but not this year, because this year the most tantalising thing to do is to beat him! I bet they're taking to him about 26 though... As will AM be doing. Not so sure about Merc, Toto acknowledges he's a great driver but I think there's a culture class between the team and driver that he's rightfully nervous about.
The time to need to move is definitely the new regs era. That's when it becomes more of a need and less of a maybe. If I'm right, he'll make that decision during this season.
McLaren have both Norris and Piastri under contract for 2026, are reigning WCC with those drivers, and look like 2025 favourites after testing. They're probably second only to Ferrari for the overall quality of their driver lineup.I think McLaren would have him 26' onwards but not this year, because this year the most tantalising thing to do is to beat him! I bet they're taking to him about 26 though... As will AM be doing. Not so sure about Merc, Toto acknowledges he's a great driver but I think there's a culture class between the team and driver that he's rightfully nervous about.
The time to need to move is definitely the new regs era. That's when it becomes more of a need and less of a maybe. If I'm right, he'll make that decision during this season.
Unless Norris or Piastri has a Ricciardo-like stinker this year or they massively fall out costing McL the title, there's zero chance they'd hire Max for 2026. And if the drivers were to fall out, hiring Max is unlikely to make 2026 more harmonious. Max to McLaren will not happen.
A driver swap with Russell is plausible, Max gambling that Merc will nail the new engine regs. He might not be keen if Antonelli performs well though.
A move to AM to rejoin Newey is plausible, and IMO the most likely option were he to leave RB. Anything else, for 2026, will not happen. Unless Jos is heavily involved or RB have a very bad start to 2025 I don't see Max moving for next year.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out but I would have thought he will stay where he is.
Unless he really starts getting outraced by his new teammate. I think that is unlikely but if that did happen then he might lose his mind and end up jumping ship. Plus if he waits and sees how the new regulations play out as other people have mentioned then he can make a better informed decision.
But with the increase in hybrid technology I would have thought that those teams who have more experience in this space and also from other racing series stand a better chance.
Unless he really starts getting outraced by his new teammate. I think that is unlikely but if that did happen then he might lose his mind and end up jumping ship. Plus if he waits and sees how the new regulations play out as other people have mentioned then he can make a better informed decision.
But with the increase in hybrid technology I would have thought that those teams who have more experience in this space and also from other racing series stand a better chance.
Muzzer79 said:
IINM, he has repeatedly spoken about not chasing records, including number of titles.
and yet throughout his F1 career he's done that, most often chasing records in a race he had sewn uphe only said he wasn't interested in Hamiltons 7 WDC titles, the year after he was gifted his first...
jimmsy said:
Byker28i said:
the year after he was gifted his first...
I mean at this point I think you need to just get over it...Lewis has, and I think the impact was higher on him than you...White-Noise said:
This will be brought up for a long long time into the future. People aren't just going to forget.
Yeah, Muzzer just posted a thread about Prost quitting social media because of the hate over stuff that happened more than 30 years ago. People aren’t letting go of AD 21 any time soon.But that is not what THIS thread is about, for me Max, unless he is offered other world money will stay until he wants to, I think he has a genuine desire to do endurance racing, possibly in America, and then maybe Le Mans, it is largely what he does online.
But bigger than that he certainly has ambition in the sim racing world, to really push that into a new area of taking people directly into racing from sims, academy stuff and this I think will be his main area, but he can do that aswell as race.
I think in a way it depends on money, if Merc or Audi offer him 100 mill a year he is taking it. Let's face it that is really and truly what Lewis is doing. It is not the only reason, he still believes he can win and compete, but if he was being paid normal money he would not be there in my mind, this is the nest egg.
But bigger than that he certainly has ambition in the sim racing world, to really push that into a new area of taking people directly into racing from sims, academy stuff and this I think will be his main area, but he can do that aswell as race.
I think in a way it depends on money, if Merc or Audi offer him 100 mill a year he is taking it. Let's face it that is really and truly what Lewis is doing. It is not the only reason, he still believes he can win and compete, but if he was being paid normal money he would not be there in my mind, this is the nest egg.
bergclimber34 said:
But that is not what THIS thread is about, for me Max, unless he is offered other world money will stay until he wants to, I think he has a genuine desire to do endurance racing, possibly in America, and then maybe Le Mans, it is largely what he does online.
But bigger than that he certainly has ambition in the sim racing world, to really push that into a new area of taking people directly into racing from sims, academy stuff and this I think will be his main area, but he can do that aswell as race.
I think in a way it depends on money, if Merc or Audi offer him 100 mill a year he is taking it. Let's face it that is really and truly what Lewis is doing. It is not the only reason, he still believes he can win and compete, but if he was being paid normal money he would not be there in my mind, this is the nest egg.
I don't think that's what Lewis is doing at all. He's often spoken of a dream to drive for Ferrari, he knows he'll be able to pursue his non-F1 interests, and - you're not going to like this - he's undoubtedly motivated by the desire to right the wrongs of 2021. He may well have retired before now had that not happened.But bigger than that he certainly has ambition in the sim racing world, to really push that into a new area of taking people directly into racing from sims, academy stuff and this I think will be his main area, but he can do that aswell as race.
I think in a way it depends on money, if Merc or Audi offer him 100 mill a year he is taking it. Let's face it that is really and truly what Lewis is doing. It is not the only reason, he still believes he can win and compete, but if he was being paid normal money he would not be there in my mind, this is the nest egg.
FWIW I don't think Max is especially driven by the money either. Obviously a boat load of money is enough to incentivise anyone but I don't think it's a primary motivation for either of them.
Max in particular, I think, would walk away (or as someone else suggested, take a sabbatical) if he felt he didn't have the option of a car capable of fighting at the front. He knows what it's like to fight at the front and seems to view that as his absolute right. As others have correctly said he doesn't seem to have the mentality of a Schumacher, a Hamilton, or an Alonso to try and build something.
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