Verstappen Rules Out Red Bull Exit, Vows to Honour Contract Until 2028

Max Verstappen has firmly shut down speculation regarding his future, confirming he intends to see out his Red Bull contract until 2028. Despite swirling rumors linking him to rivals like Mercedes and Aston Martin, the three-time champion stated he has no desire to leave the Milton Keynes squad early.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's commitment provides a rare anchor of stability for Red Bull during a period of significant executive upheaval. With key figures like Helmut Marko, Christian Horner, and Adrian Newey departing, retaining the sport's top driver is critical for the team's competitiveness. As the squad looks toward the 2026 regulation changes, having a confirmed leader behind the wheel is essential to maintaining their development momentum and morale.

The details:

• Contract Commitment: Speaking to Blick, Verstappen emphasized his loyalty to the existing deal, explicitly ruling out a team switch at this stage despite previous rumors of performance clauses that could trigger an early exit.
• Leadership Void: The Dutchman lamented the departure of mentor Helmut Marko at the end of 2025, adding to the significant exits of team boss Christian Horner and technical chief Adrian Newey. "It's a shame that I won't have my friend and mentor Helmut Marko by my side... I'll miss him," Verstappen said.
• 2025 Resilience: Despite the internal chaos and a mid-season slump with the RB21, Red Bull mounted a fierce comeback. Verstappen expressed pride in recovering from a 104-point deficit to nearly steal the title, noting that "no one would have believed we could do it" amidst the management turmoil.
• Narrow Miss: The team ultimately fell just two points short of the championship, with Lando Norris securing his first title for McLaren in a dramatic final sprint.

What's next:

With his future secured, Verstappen will look to build on the late-season momentum into the 2026 season. The team faces the complex challenge of adapting to life without its long-time leadership trio while trying to reclaim the championship from a resurgent McLaren.