Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has made clear to team principal Laurent Mekies that he remains committed to the team despite ongoing speculation about his future, with the team principal downplaying any suggestion the three-time world champion might leave the Milton Keynes outfit.
According to reports from the official F1 channels today, Mekies has confirmed that Verstappen has been explicit in his intention to continue with Red Bull. “Max is telling us he’s happy at Red Bull,” Mekies said, addressing the persistent transfer talk that has dogged the team in recent weeks following reports of McLaren’s interest and the arrival of Verstappen’s longtime engineer Gianpiero Lambiase at McLaren as chief racing officer.
Mekies Focused on Performance, Not Contracts
Mekies has made clear Red Bull’s priority is simple: delivering the performance that Verstappen demands. “It’s not a topic for us. The topic for us is to get the car back to where we want it to be,” the team principal explained, pointing to Red Bull’s recent struggles in the new regulation era. Red Bull currently sits fourth in the constructors’ standings, a far cry from their four consecutive titles 2021 and 2024.
Verstappen’s current contract with Red Bull runs through 2028, with performance-based clauses understood to be included in the deal. Ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, the focus remains firmly on track performance rather than contract negotiations. For Verstappen, a driver who has often emphasised the importance of having a competitive car, Mekies’ message is clear: Red Bull remains his best bet.
The Belgian Grand Prix kicks off this weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with Red Bull’s championship fight hanging in the balance as the team enters the sport’s traditional summer break.
