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Max Verstappen has signed a new Red Bull contract that will keep him with the team until at least the end of the 2030 Formula 1 season.
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The new deal ends months of speculation over whether the four-time world champion could leave Red Bull for a rival team.
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Verstappen is currently sixth in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship, 110 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli.
August 20, (THEWILL) — Max Verstappen has ended speculation over his Formula 1 future by signing a new Red Bull contract that will keep him at the team until at least the end of the 2030 season.
The Dutchman had previously been contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028, but uncertainty surrounding his future had grown throughout the 2026 campaign.
Reports earlier in the year suggested Verstappen’s management had held discussions with McLaren about a possible move for the 2027 season.
However, the four-time world champion has now chosen to continue his career with the team where he has enjoyed the greatest success of his career.
The new agreement means Verstappen will remain with Red Bull until he is at least 33 years old.
“I am really pleased with the contract extension,” Verstappen said.
“We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again.”
Verstappen Wants Red Bull Back at the Top
Verstappen’s decision comes at a difficult point in Red Bull’s competitive cycle.
The team has struggled to match the pace of its leading rivals at several races this season, leaving Verstappen sixth in the Drivers’ Championship ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix.
He is currently 110 points behind Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who leads the championship.
Despite the disappointing position, Verstappen believes Red Bull has demonstrated enough progress to convince him that the team can challenge for victories and championships again.
“This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue,” Verstappen said.
The Dutchman also stressed the importance of his long-standing relationship with Red Bull.
“I have always said it: The team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home,” he added.
Four World Championships With Red Bull
Verstappen joined Red Bull’s senior Formula 1 team in 2016 and has spent his entire career at the organisation since making his debut with Toro Rosso in 2015.
His partnership with Red Bull has produced four consecutive Drivers’ Championships between 2021 and 2024.
He also came within two points of claiming a fifth consecutive title in 2025, despite Red Bull not having the strongest car for much of the campaign.
That success has made Verstappen one of the most important drivers in modern Formula 1, and keeping him provides Red Bull with a clear leader for its next phase.
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Why Was Verstappen’s Future in Doubt?
Questions over Verstappen’s future intensified after Formula 1 introduced major power-unit changes for the 2026 season.
The Dutchman expressed concerns about the new regulations earlier in the year and admitted that he was considering his future in the sport.
His Red Bull contract also contained an exit clause that could potentially have allowed him to leave for the 2027 season depending on his championship position.
With Verstappen outside the top two during the relevant period, speculation about a potential departure increased.
McLaren emerged as one of the teams linked with the driver, while Mercedes had also been mentioned in discussions surrounding the future of the four-time champion.
However, Red Bull’s progress throughout the season appears to have played a major role in convincing Verstappen to stay.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
