Max Verstappen’s saga in Formula 1 is over: the driver will continue with Red Bull for a few more years. This Thursday (20), on the eve of the start of the Dutch GP, the Austrian team not only confirmed the driver’s stay but also the contract extension until the 2030 season.
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The competitor joined Milton Keynes in 2016 mid-season coming from Toro Rosso. And right in his first race, the Spanish GP in Barcelona, he took advantage of a crash between teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton to secure the victory. Since then, he has achieved 71 wins and four driver titles.
The continuity of the four-time champion had been in question, especially due to the low competitiveness shown by the RB22 in 2026 – after 11 rounds, it is the only top-4 team that has not yet won. Mercedes and McLaren were teams pointed out as possible paths for the driver.
“I am very pleased with the contract renewal. We have the best professionals and I am excited to continue working with everyone to get back to the top. This remains the main goal that we have all been working towards and will continue to pursue. I want to thank Red Bull, Laurent [Mekies], and everyone on the team for the trust placed in me,” said Max.
“I have always said this: the team is like a second family to me and I feel very much at home. I joined the team hoping to be able to win races. What we have achieved together has been simply wonderful; we have shared many incredible moments and won four World Championships.”
“Continuing this journey with the same team that has accompanied me throughout my career is something really special and something I have always wanted to do,” he continued.
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Mekies, head of the Austrian team, added that “Max’s stay with us and keeping the best driver on the grid are fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull, the team, as well as for F1 and motorsport as a whole. Very few partnerships in the sport achieve what Max and this team have accomplished. From the beginning, Max embodied everything that makes Oracle Red Bull Racing special: unwavering competitiveness, tireless determination, and the courage to challenge conventions.”
“His impact on our team and Red Bull’s history in motorsport has been transformative, and he has been fundamental to everything we have achieved together. The decision to continue our journey together is based on the trust Max and the team have built over many years, as well as Max’s trust in our people, our culture, and our vision for the future,” he continued.
“Forged amid championship wins, intense battles, and challenging moments, this relationship has only strengthened, becoming one of the greatest success stories in Formula 1.”
“But we are not done yet. There are more races to win, more milestones to reach, and more history to write. Together, we continue to raise the bar with the same determination that took us to the top of the sport and with even greater faith in what we can achieve. Much will evolve as we move forward, but our ambition remains unchanged: united by one direction, one vision, one team,” he concluded.
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