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Ford Racing global director Mark Rushbrook has revealed that their high-performance division are having regular conversations with Max Verstappen about "the possibilities of doing more in sports cars". They returned to Formula 1 as an engine manufacturer for the 2026 season and are partnered with Red Bull Powertrains to supply Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls.

Verstappen, 28, is under contract with the team until the end of the 2028 season, but is said to have performance-based get-out clauses that could allow him to end their deal early. The four-time world champion is currently seventh in the drivers' championship, 74 points off current leader Kimi Antonelli after four races, with Red Bull a distant fourth in the constructors' standings.

Away from F1, the Dutchman is increasingly competing in top-level endurance racing after receiving his FIA Platinum licence last year. Verstappen became the first reigning F1 world champion to compete in another series in 42 years when winning on his GT3 race debut in the Nurburgring Endurance Series and is now preparing for this year's 24 Hours of Nurburgring.

Rushbrook says Ford are talking to the Red Bull driver about the possibility of racing for them. He told Motorsport.com: "We have regular conversations with him about the possibilities of doing more in sports cars, including Hypercar." On Verstappen's interest, he said: "He is a racer, he wants to race."

Ford will compete in the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship next year, as well as continuing to compete in LMGT3 with their Ford Mustang GT3 Evo. Verstappen has driven around the Nurburgring in a Ferrari 296 GT3, a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo and a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS within the last 12 months.

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Rushbrook added: "We love Max, we love what he does in the Formula One car, on the track. We appreciate him off the track as well. He is a great person, just as much as he is a great driver. We love his passion for racing in GT3, the way he does it, and what he does with developing drivers through sim racing and getting them onto the track."

Ford's global director also spoke about Verstappen's endurance ambitions, saying: "He wants to race at Le Mans and go for the win, but in most years the calendar doesn't allow that. As long as he is a dedicated Formula 1 driver, there is usually an overlap."

As such, Ford and Verstappen have "nothing" planned, with Rushbrook quipping: "We are not going to announce anything." He concluded: "I think we just discuss what the possibilities are, and if and when it makes sense, and everyone wants to do it, then that is great."