In a quiet reflection on loyalty and legacy, Max Verstappen has revealed a personal promise he made to late Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz: a shared dream that the Dutch driver would spend his entire Formula 1 career with Red Bull.
Speaking to The Times, the four-time world champion said he told Mateschitz before the Austrian’s death that he intended to stay with the team for the length of his career. The conversation now carries a deeper meaning after Mateschitz died in Oct. 2022 at age 78 from pancreatic cancer.
Verstappen’s comments offer a rare look at the personal bond between driver and team founder, and they arrive as questions about his long-term future in Formula 1 continue to circulate.
A promise made and a dream kept alive
For Verstappen, the connection with Mateschitz began early. The Red Bull co-founder helped bring him into the company’s racing program when Verstappen was only 16.
Years later, that relationship turned into a promise.
“I remember when Dietrich was still alive,” Verstappen told The Times. “I told him my dream, and his dream, was that I would stay here forever, as long as my career lasts. I’m very happy that before he passed away, I said that my intention is still to fulfil that dream, and so far that is going quite well.”
Seven months before Mateschitz died, Verstappen signed one of the longest contracts in Formula 1 history. The deal ties him to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season.
Seen through the lens of that final conversation, the contract now carries strong emotional weight.
Loyalty as a cornerstone of Verstappen’s identity
In modern Formula 1, drivers often change teams in search of faster cars or new chances to win titles. Max Verstappen has taken a different path.
Now 28 and in his 11th full season with Red Bull’s program, he has become one of the sport’s rare long-term fixtures within a single team structure. He began his career with Red Bull’s junior squad before rising to the senior team.
“It’s a funny one, because I don’t think normally the driver is, let’s say, the stable factor, in terms of people leaving, so I’m proud of that,” the Dutchman said. “I stayed loyal to the team for a long time.”
He said loyalty shapes how he approaches his career.
“They know that loyalty, for me, is a very big thing, and that’s not always a given in Formula 1,” he said. “But that’s how I operate.”
Still, he knows success can bring change.
“You always try to build the strongest team around you,” Verstappen said. “But when you have a lot of success, it’s normal that people get poached and people leave. That’s how sport works.”
The Mercedes question and why he stayed
Rumours about Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull have surfaced several times in recent seasons.
The strongest interest came from Toto Wolff and Mercedes, especially during 2024 when Red Bull’s dominance began to fade. Performance clauses in Verstappen’s contract also created speculation about a possible exit.
But Verstappen stayed.
His remarks to The Times suggest the choice rested as much on personal values as on performance.
“For me, you need to feel that you can be yourself in a team,” he said. “That’s as important, I would say, in my career now, after having won already so much, than just going somewhere for performance.”
In a separate conversation on the Up To Speed podcast, Verstappen spoke openly about his long-term plans in the sport.
“I’d say the new regulations aren’t helping to extend my Formula 1 career, but it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’m happy with my trajectory. I can easily leave it behind. I have other projects.”
He also spoke about time away from racing.
“Who cares when you’re 60 or 70 if you won four or 10 titles?” Verstappen said. “I’m getting older, and I prefer to spend time with my family before they’re gone.”
The bigger picture for Red Bull
For Red Bull Racing, Verstappen’s loyalty offers stability during a period of change.
The team faces rising pressure from rivals such as Mercedes, McLaren and Scuderia Ferrari, as Formula 1 enters a major technical rule change in 2026.
Having their four-time champion publicly tie his future to a promise made to Mateschitz strengthens Red Bull’s identity during that uncertain stretch.
Verstappen is in his 13th F1 season in 2026, with his contract running through 2028.
For now, the promise he made to Mateschitz still guides the path ahead.
“So far,” Verstappen said, “that is going quite well.”
