Red Bull have ended months of transfer speculation by confirming that Max Verstappen has committed his future to the team until the end of the 2030 season.
Inbox (1) 🦁 pic.twitter.com/pIywH7fCoe
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) August 20, 2026
The announcement came just ahead of his home race at the Dutch Grand Prix and replaces a deal that was only signed through 2028 and had performance-related exit clauses that kept the rumor mill going.
Those clauses had really fueled speculation. Last year, Verstappen was rumored to be on Mercedes’ radar and this season his camp reportedly spoke to McLaren as Red Bull lost ground to Mercedes under the current regulations.
The loss of several important players from the team recently, including Adrian Newey, Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, has also called Verstappen’s loyalty into question.
Family ties prevail
Verstappen said the decision was more personal than strategic. “The team is like a second family to me and I feel very at home,” he said in a statement, adding that staying with the same team for his entire career “is really special and something I have always wanted to do”,per Red Bull Racing
A second family 🫶
Ten years, 71 wins and four World Championships together#F1 https://t.co/dff5LlRXSa pic.twitter.com/muCwbba3AH
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) August 20, 2026
There’s no debating the figures behind the partnership. Four successive drivers’ championships from 2021-2024, two constructors’ titles and 71 Grand Prix wins since joining the team in 2016. He’ll turn 33 when this new deal is up.
The timing also fits into a wider pattern. This year’s driver market has been quiet, with Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri all signing long-term deals to stay with their current teams through to the decade.
