News Summary
- Max Verstappen confirmed he had serious conversations with Mercedes in 2025 and McLaren in 2026 before extending his Red Bull contract through 2030.
- The four-time world champion said he has no need to prove he can win in another car and believes staying with Red Bull was the right decision.
- Verstappen compared leaving for a faster car to abandoning a ship when things go wrong, saying rebuilding Red Bull represents a more meaningful challenge.
Max Verstappen confirmed that he held talks with Mercedes in 2025 and McLaren this year before extending his Red Bull contract through the 2030 Formula 1 season. The four-time world champion said he does not feel the need to prove he can win in another car and believes remaining with the Austrian team was the right choice for his career.
Verstappen’s future became uncertain as Red Bull struggled to match its previous level of competitiveness. Although the Dutchman had a contract running through the end of 2028, performance-related clauses could have allowed him to leave the team earlier.
The arrival of Formula 1’s new technical regulations in 2026 added another layer of uncertainty, while Verstappen has repeatedly criticised aspects of the rules, particularly the amount of energy and battery management required from drivers.
At the same time, the Dutchman has shown increasing interest in endurance racing in recent years. Red Bull’s lack of competitiveness in F1 also meant Verstappen was no longer able to fight consistently for the championship.
His future was therefore a major talking point, with the Dutchman strongly linked to McLaren this year after Mercedes had also been connected with him in 2025. Verstappen ultimately ended the speculation by extending his Red Bull contract through 2030.
Speaking to British broadcaster BBC, the #3 confirmed that he had serious conversations with both Mercedes and McLaren.
“Of course, any kind of conversation is taken seriously. They are all very respectful. There is nothing wrong with that,” Verstappen said, before explaining why he felt remaining with Red Bull was the correct decision.
“I felt that staying was the right choice. You have to follow your heart. I could have run away right at the beginning of my Red Bull career and gone somewhere else to try to win. If you have a little bit of patience, you eventually win. I feel that is my approach now as well,” he explained.
The four-time champion also said he is not motivated by the need to demonstrate that he can win with a different team.
“I also don’t mind the challenge. I don’t have that desire or that need to prove, in another car, that I can win, or anything like that,” Verstappen stressed.
Verstappen prefers rebuilding Red Bull to taking the easy option
Verstappen acknowledged that moving to another team with a faster car would be the simplest way to return to regular victories in Formula 1. Instead, he believes the challenge of rebuilding Red Bull is more appealing.
“It’s easy to go to the fastest car and then do it all over again. But that’s not who I am. You can’t be the captain of the ship and, as soon as something goes wrong, jump off,” he said.
“There has been a small dip [for Red Bull] compared with the years of dominance, but I don’t mind rebuilding everything. It’s more of a challenge,” Verstappen concluded.
Verstappen’s decision means he will remain at Red Bull as the team works to recover from its difficult start to the new regulatory era. The Dutchman will now head into the Spanish Grand Prix looking to close the gap to the leading Mercedes cars after finishing third at Monza.
Formula 1 returns this weekend, September 11-13, with the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madrid street circuit. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action from the 14th round of the 2026 season.
FAQ
Did Max Verstappen talk to Mercedes and McLaren?
Yes. Verstappen confirmed that he had conversations with Mercedes in 2025 and McLaren in 2026 before deciding to remain with Red Bull.
Why did Max Verstappen stay with Red Bull?
Verstappen said he felt staying was the right choice and that he does not need to prove he can win with another team. He also views rebuilding Red Bull as a more meaningful challenge than simply moving to the fastest car.
How long is Max Verstappen’s Red Bull contract?
Verstappen extended his Red Bull contract through the 2030 Formula 1 season, ending speculation about a potential move to another team.
