Raymond Vermeulen, Max Verstappen’s manager, sought to clarify some of the rumors surrounding the four-time Formula 1 champion, insisting that the intention is to fulfill the contract with Red Bull despite the rumors of his departure.
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With the Austrian team’s difficult campaign in the 2026 season, the Dutchman’s continuation is still being questioned. After nine rounds, he has yet to win a race and is only in seventh place in the standings.
Questions about Verstappen’s farewell in 2026 intensified after a meeting involving Vermeulen and Jos Verstappen, as well as Helmut Marko, in Amsterdam. But the manager downplayed any significance of the meeting.
“It was a private meeting that had been scheduled a long time ago,” he explained to OE24. “Besides, Max’s sister got married.”
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Furthermore, Vermeulen spoke about Max’s plans for 2026, emphasizing that the driver has no intention of leaving Red Bull before the end of the contract. “A lot is being written about this. But the truth is that Max wants to complete his journey at Red Bull. He has a contract until 2028 and would like to fulfill it,” he said.
“The fact that this clause exists does not mean we will activate it. We could have activated it in recent years as well, and we did not,” he concluded.
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