Max Verstappen is staying with Red Bull until 2030, the F1 team has just announced. The plot twist... is that there won't be a plot twist, despite numerous rumours that Verstappen, who has grown tired of the Formula 1 and is strongly against the new regulations, would leave the team. Rumours also made sense because Red Bull has lost multiple key figures in Verstappen's career, including his close friend and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, who will leave to McLaren in 2028, after finishing the 2027 season.
However, today's announcement means that Verstappen not only stays, but adds two more years to his contract, set to end in 2028. He will now extend in Red Bull until the end of 2030, when he will be 32.
"I am really pleased with the contract extension. We have the best people and I'm excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again", Verstappen said, who signs the contract right before his home Grand Prix at the Netherlands. "I have always said it: The team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home. I came to the team hoping to be able to win races. What we went on to achieve together has been simply lovely and we have shared many incredible moments and won four World Championships. To continue this journey with the same team that I have been with my whole career is really special and something I have always wanted to do."
