Racing
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Max Verstappen has ended speculation over both his Red Bull future and his short-term Formula 1 future by extending his contract through 2030, after admitting he was once unsure whether he even wanted to stay in the sport.
Red Bull announced ahead of Verstappen’s home race at Zandvoort that the four-time world champion had added two years to a deal that already ran to 2028. The new agreement shuts down months of questions over whether performance-related clauses in his previous contract could open the door to a move elsewhere.
The bigger threat, though, was not a switch to a rival team. Speaking in Zandvoort to GPblog among other media, Verstappen said: "I think I was closer to retiring than changing team." He added that after the first few races he told team principal Laurent Mekies, "Don’t come to me with any kind of questions about the future, because I don’t even know if I want to stay."
That makes the extension a significant endorsement of Red Bull’s rebuilding project under Mekies. Verstappen has committed despite a dip in form at the team and major upheaval at Milton Keynes, where senior figures including Christian Horner and Adrian Newey have departed along with other key staff.
In Red Bull’s announcement, Verstappen made clear that his faith in the people now leading the team was central to the decision. He said he was "really pleased with the contract extension" and added: "We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again." He also pointed directly to Mekies, saying that getting to work with him for "over a year has also been great" because "I see a clear vision he has for the team."
Verstappen also framed the decision as a commitment to a team he still sees as home. He said Red Bull is "like a second family for me and I feel very at home," adding that continuing with the same team for his whole Formula 1 career was "really special and something I have always wanted to do."
Mekies, Red Bull team principal, called the renewal "fantastic news" for the team, Formula 1 and motorsport, and said the decision was rooted in the trust built over many years and Verstappen’s confidence in Red Bull’s people, culture and future vision.
The contract does not mean Verstappen’s concerns about Formula 1’s current rules have disappeared. He said ongoing talks with Formula 1 and the FIA helped him commit, describing the sport as "slowly working towards something that becomes better and better." For Red Bull, that means it has secured its biggest asset through the current cycle. For Verstappen, it leaves the next decision tied to whether the sport evolves in a direction he can keep believing in.