Max Verstappen: 'Ferrari move would be about winning, not passion'

Max Verstappen has cooled speculation linking him with a sensational Ferrari switch for 2027, insisting emotion alone would never dictate his future.

The four-time world champion was thrust back into the spotlight after his father and co-manager Jos suggested Ferrari had joined Mercedes and Red Bull in recent discussions about his post-2026 options.

At Monza, Verstappen acknowledged the prestige of the Scuderia but stressed that sentiment cannot outweigh competitiveness. “Ferrari is a huge brand and of course all the drivers imagine themselves there,” he said. “But that is the mistake, when you just want to drive for Ferrari.

“If you want to drive for Ferrari, you have to aim to win. If I ever want to go there, it will not be just to drive for Ferrari, but to win. Winning with Ferrari is even better.”

He underlined that any move would depend on how the new regulations reshape the grid. “You can’t just act on emotions and passion for the brand,” Verstappen explained.

"You have to move if you think it’s the right place. “Will it be like that in 2026? I don’t know. We’ll see. We have to assess how everything will work out with the new regulations, the situation can completely change again.”