Red Bull Reportedly Offers Verstappen Blockbuster Extension Through 2029

Red Bull has reportedly offered Max Verstappen a blockbuster contract extension that would keep the four-time world champion at Milton Keynes through 2029, according to German publication BILD. The proposed deal would not only extend his current agreement by a year but also scrap the performance clause that currently allows him to walk away if championship targets are missed.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's future has become the central storyline of the summer break. His existing contract contains an exit clause tied to championship position by the summer break—a condition understood to have been triggered with the Dutchman sitting sixth, over 100 points adrift of leader Kimi Antonelli. Losing him would destabilize Red Bull and ignite one of the most aggressive driver market scrambles in recent memory, with McLaren already tipped as a potential 2027 destination.

The details:

• BILD claims the new offer includes a substantial salary increase and has been under consideration by Verstappen's management for several weeks.
• The contract would run until 2029, removing the performance clause entirely and making an early exit far more difficult financially and strategically.
• Verstappen has until October to activate his current exit clause, giving the next two months an air of high-stakes negotiation.
• Team principal Laurent Mekies recently praised Isack Hadjar's rookie season, suggesting the Frenchman is the preferred long-term teammate if Verstappen commits to the team's future.
• Despite manager Raymond Vermeulen's insistence that Verstappen intends to honor his existing deal, speculation over a sabbatical or switch to McLaren continues to swirl.

What's next:

The ball is in Verstappen's court. Accepting the extension would lock him into Red Bull for the prime years of his career and likely secure Hadjar's seat alongside him. Rejecting it—or activating his October exit clause—could open the door to a seismic 2027 move and leave Red Bull scrambling to fill the biggest shoes on the grid.