- Four world titles give Verstappen the power to walk away from Formula 1.
- Webber says Verstappen’s presence forces every driver on the grid to improve.
- European viewership is falling. Losing Verstappen could make it far worse.
Former Red Bull driver Mark Webber has warned that Formula 1 cannot afford to lose Max Verstappen.
Speaking to RacingNews365, Webber argued that the four-time world champion is not simply a racing driver but a central reason millions of people watch the sport at all.
“People switch on the TV because of Max Verstappen, and Liberty know that. Teams know that. He’s important,” Webber said.
Verstappen’s future in F1 is uncertain. The Dutchman has openly criticised the 2026 regulations, and by this time, it is well known that his Red Bull contract includes a performance-based exit clause.
The clause can be triggered if he does not sit first or second in the standings by mid-season. He currently sits seventh, with 26 points after four races.
Webber’s case: Verstappen lifts everyone around him
Webber’s argument goes beyond viewing figures and commercial value. He believes Verstappen makes every other driver better simply by being on the grid.
“He’s lifting every driver in the field, and that’s what Formula 1 is about. You have to be continually lifted,” Webber told RacingNews365.
To illustrate his point, Webber reached for a comparison from tennis. He drew a parallel between Verstappen’s role in F1 and the rivalry between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
“If Rafa is not there, is Roger lifting, and vice versa. You need someone who is giving you those sleepless nights, and Verstappen has done that for a long period,” Webber said.
The analogy holds weight. Nadal and Federer pushed each other to heights neither might have reached in isolation. Webber sees Verstappen functioning the same way in F1, as a benchmark so demanding that rivals have no choice but to improve.
Webber also acknowledged his own conflict of interest. He manages McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, which means Verstappen is, in one sense, the competition. But Webber set that aside.
“If I’m neutral in terms of the sport, then I want Max to be in Formula 1, of course,” he said.
What is driving Verstappen toward the exit
Verstappen’s dissatisfaction with the current cars is not new. At pre-season testing in Bahrain, he described the 2026 machinery as “Formula E on steroids.”
He said the experience felt more like energy management than racing.
His view had not softened significantly by the Miami Grand Prix. After recovering from a first-lap spin to finish fifth, Verstappen acknowledged the car had improved slightly.
But he told media that drivers still have to go slower in certain places to go faster, and that approach runs against everything he values about competition.
Webber understood the position. He pointed out that Verstappen has earned the right to make choices after years of consistent results and four world titles.
“If the stimuli are decreasing for him, in conjunction with his experience, then he’s earned the right to make choices,” Webber said.
“He’s got an immense trophy cabinet, he’s delivered year in, year out, and that gives him choices.”
The timing matters. According to reports, European TV audiences have fallen sharply in 2026, with viewership down 21% in Germany, 36% in Austria, 43% in France and 49% in Spain compared to the same races last year.
Those declines reflect multiple factors. But if Verstappen walks away, the numbers are likely to fall further.
What the sport is doing, and whether it is enough
The FIA has moved to respond to driver concerns. For 2027, it has been confirmed that internal combustion engine output will rise by 50kW, while electrical power will be cut by the same amount.
The change is widely seen as a direct response to criticism from Verstappen and others.
Verstappen has indicated it is not enough. He has called for a return to V10 or V8 engines and described the current regulations as “fundamentally wrong,” even as the FIA makes adjustments around the edges.
The commercial stakes make the situation harder to ignore. F1 revenue reached $3.9 billion in 2025, a 14% increase on the previous year. Media rights accounted for roughly 31.3% of that total.
Liberty Media’s growth model depends on star power and appointment viewing, and Webber’s argument is that Verstappen delivers both.
The Canadian Grand Prix and the European leg of the season will offer more clarity. Red Bull will hope that continued car improvements change Verstappen’s mood.
But as Webber said, this is not a problem that belongs to Red Bull alone. If the sport loses its biggest draw, every team and every stakeholder feels the loss.
