A photo shared by De Telegraaf shows Max Verstappen‘s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, meeting Jos Verstappen and Helmut Marko in the Netherlands amid rumors surrounding the four-time world champion’s future.

Max Verstappen’s future remains the most hotly debated topic after the conclusion of the British Grand Prix.

Earlier this week, GPblog was the first to report last Tuesday that various sources in the paddock were pointing to an imminent announcement of a deal between Verstappen and McLaren. For now, the involved parties are keeping quiet about the potential switch.

Now, a new photo from Amsterdam has emerged. Jos Verstappen and former Red Bull adviser Marko were spotted with Verstappen’s manager, Vermeulen. What was discussed is not yet known.

After a DNF caused by the RB22’s rear wing at Silverstone, Verstappen can now activate an exit clause in his contract, as he will not be in the top two of the drivers’ standings heading into the summer break. The driver would have to inform the team of his decision by October at the latest.

According to a report from Germany, Mark Mateschitz, Dietrich’s son, no longer wants to keep Verstappen at all costs after a multi-million-euro sum was reportedly offered to the driver to buy out his exit clause. Meanwhile, McLaren has the financial backing needed to fund Verstappen’s potential demands, thanks to its wealthy stakeholders and sponsors.

Verstappen checks in at Red Bull factory on Wednesday

On Wednesday, Verstappen paid a visit to the Red Bull Racing factory in Milton Keynes, as the team shared on social media.
The Dutchman was not satisfied with the RB22’s performance last weekend. According to him, finishing on the podium would have painted a false picture anyway.

He told GPblog, among others: “[I was] lucky of course with everything that happened around me with the penalty for Lewis, a slow puncture for George, Kimi’s problem. So even if we of course we would have finished on the podium, I mean you take it, but it’s not deserved at all.

“On the hard tyres we were really slow. I don’t know how I kept George and Lewis behind for so long. But yeah, just the whole weekend I had a terrible balance, no top speed compared to the other car as well in the garage, and in the race was exactly the same, which I already predicted, yeah.”