Max Verstappen has committed his future to Red Bull by signing a contract extension that will keep him with the team for the next four years, extending his tenure beyond 2028. The new agreement is reported to include a base salary approaching £70 million annually, with the potential to exceed £100 million per year with win bonuses. This puts his earnings on par with top earners in Formula One.
The deal comes ahead of Verstappen's home race in the Netherlands and concludes speculation about his future, including reported interest from McLaren and Mercedes. While McLaren team principal Zak Brown met with Verstappen in June, the driver ultimately chose to remain loyal to Red Bull, the team that gave him his debut at age 17.
Verstappen had previously expressed that his previous contract, set to expire after 2028, might be his last. He also conveyed dissatisfaction with Formula One's shift towards hybrid engines. Reports suggest that a performance-related exit clause is included in the new contract, allowing Verstappen to leave if Red Bull fails to meet his expectations.
"After the first few races, I said to Laurent (Mekies, Red Bull team principal), 'Don’t come to me with any kind of questions about the future because I don’t even know if I want to stay,'" Verstappen stated, emphasizing the openness of discussions. He also indicated that he was closer to retiring than changing teams.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies hailed the signing as a significant achievement. "He’s a lot more than the fastest driver in the world for us," Mekies said. "He’s the central point of the team. He’s the one we always refer to for all the strategic decisions we are making, and to know that he’s going to be with us in order to build that next winning cycle is phenomenal."
Negotiations involved discussions between Verstappen's agent, Raymond Vermeulen, and Red Bull management. While both sides presented arguments regarding Verstappen's value and career trajectory, Red Bull reportedly did not meet all of the driver's financial demands.
Verstappen, a four-time world champion and 71-time race winner, confirmed his continued passion for racing at the sport's highest level, despite any technical disagreements. "Even if I’m not entirely happy with how the package is, I still love racing. This is still the pinnacle of motorsport, so I still want to be here," he stated.
