Max Verstappen has been advised to take a year out of Formula 1 in 2026, as speculation over the champion’s future at Red Bull continues to mount.

Now, the 1996 world champion Damon Hill has weighed in on the conversation on what Verstappen should do next with his career, when asked on the BBC Chequered Flag podcast if he should take some time out to understand the new regulations in 2026.

Could Verstappen take a break from F1 in 2026?

Whilst Verstappen has been linked to switches to teams such as Aston Martin, it is likely the champion will wait to determine the pecking order after the regulation changes in 2026 before leaving Red Bull.

From next year onwards, Red Bull will produce their own power units alongside American manufacturer Ford, with the success of the project remaining a great unknown.

Red Bull’s current pace offers little comfort to Verstappen if he is considering his options in F1, with the champion unable to answer McLaren’s pace yet again in Miami last time out.

The team are already 141 points behind McLaren in the constructors’ championship after six rounds of the 2025 season, and if Red Bull no longer remains a team that Verstappen can win a championship at, he may revaluate his future.