The possibility of an early exit of Max Verstappen re-established in the environment of Formula 1 and generated immediate reaction from the management. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, addressed the subject during the Miami Grand Prix and made it clear that, although the Dutch driver represents a key figure, the championship will continue on any stage.

“If he leaves, we will miss him, but the sport will move forward,” the leader stated. “Many stars come and come, but Formula 1 will always remain. The FIA will always remain.”

His statements come amidst the recent comments of Verstappen himself, who has expressed doubts about his continuity due to the technical changes planned for 2026.

The Red Bull driver has questioned the approach of the new cars, especially due to the greater dependency on electrical energy and the limitations that this implies on-track. During the five-week break s who lived in the category —after the suspension of the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the conflict in Iran— the FIA introduced adjustments in the power unit regulations, incorporating opinions from the drivers.

Even so, Verstappen considers that the modifications are not enough. “It is still not what we need to be able to go to the maximum. It is complicated to get everyone to agree.” he noted. “I just hope that by next year we can make really big, really big changes. Like I said, it's a small adjustment, but it needs to be a lot more than that, without a doubt.”

Postures inside the paddock and possible comebacks

From the FIA, the analysis is not limited to the technical. Ben Sulayem commented that he recently had a positive conversation with the driver, whom he praised for his style and mentality. He also slid in doubts about the real possibility of an immediate retirement. “But what he says, is really what he wants to do? I don't… really don't believe it.”

Meanwhile, in sports, Verstappen continues to compete. In the Miami Grand Prix classification, he took second place and expressed more favorable feelings with the car's performance. “I don't feel like I'm a passenger inside the car,” said after the session.

The FIA president also referred to another relevant name in the paddock: Christian Horner. The former Red Bull director, fired in July last year after two decades in office, he could return in the future according to Ben Sulayem. “I talk to him”regularly,” he explained. “And I feel he will come back.”

Horner led the team since his arrival as a constructor in 2005, a period in which he accumulated eight drivers' titles. His eventual return, added to bats about Verstappen's future, keeps the conversation moving within Formula 1 at a time of regulatory changes and structural adjustments.