Red Bull Racing secures Max Verstappen's commitment for the 2026 season, quashing rumors about his future moves.
Max Verstappen Commits to Red Bull Through 2028
Max Verstappen has put an end to the speculation surrounding his future in Formula One, confirming that he will remain with Red Bull Racing until at least the end of the 2028 season.
The Dutch racer's contract, which was due to expire at the end of the 2025 season, contains a clause that would have allowed him to leave if he was fourth or lower in the championship standings by the summer break. However, Verstappen's consistent performance has blocked any early exit, securing third place or higher in the championship.
Despite ongoing interest from teams like Mercedes and comments from their team principal Toto Wolff, Verstappen is locked into Red Bull with no immediate plans to switch teams beyond 2028. However, speculation remains that if Red Bull's performance declines with upcoming regulation changes, Verstappen could consider a move in 2027 or beyond.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko and Verstappen himself have publicly confirmed that the Dutch driver will race for Red Bull in 2026, effectively ending current doubts about his near-term future. Other teams like Aston Martin and Ferrari continue preparing for a strong 2026 challenge, but Verstappen's contract situation is stable through 2028 as of now.
Verstappen has stated that it's time to "stop all the rumours" about his future and has clarified that he has not said anything about his future because he was focused on improving Red Bull's performance. He believes that there are still things that can be improved on the engineering side of Red Bull's current car for next year.
Despite the uncertainty about where teams will be next year, Verstappen did not write off the possibility of winning the championship this year. He expressed hopes of gaining success before the end of the year, despite McLaren's dominance this season.
The Formula One team Red Bull is owned by Red Bull GmbH. The team has recently undergone a change in leadership, with team principal Christian Horner being sacked and replaced by Laurent Mekies, the boss of their 'B' team Racing Bulls. The exact details of Verstappen's future beyond 2028 are currently unknown.
In other news, Verstappen has clarified that the discord between him and Horner was never a problem, and he was pleased with Horner's departure, as stated by his father Jos. Christian Horner was twice cleared over the claims of "inappropriate behavior" by a woman colleague.
As the season progresses, a similar scrutiny of Verstappen's contract is expected next year, once it becomes clear which teams have adapted and progressed best under the new regulations.
Sports enthusiasts can look forward to Max Verstappen continuing his Formula One journey with Red Bull Racing until at least 2028. Despite ongoing talks and speculation about potential moves to other teams like Mercedes, Verstappen has made it clear that he is committed to Red Bull, barring any significant changes in Red Bull's performance due to upcoming regulation changes.
