Max Verstappen has committed his long-term future to Red Bull after signing a new contract that will keep the four-time Formula 1 world champion with the team through the end of the 2030 season.
The new agreement extends Verstappen’s previous contract, which had been due to run until 2028, and brings an end to speculation that the Dutchman could consider leaving Red Bull amid the team’s recent struggles.
Verstappen first joined the Milton Keynes-based squad during the 2016 season, earning a mid-year promotion from Toro Rosso, now known as Racing Bulls.
He immediately made an impact by winning on his Red Bull debut and has since developed into one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1 history.
During his time with the team, Verstappen has claimed 71 Grand Prix victories and four Drivers’ Championships, establishing a hugely successful partnership with Red Bull.
His most recent world title came in 2024, before McLaren emerged as Formula 1’s leading force and secured both championships the following season.
Verstappen came agonisingly close to making it five consecutive drivers’ titles in 2025, producing a remarkable late-season comeback before ultimately finishing just two points behind Lando Norris.
Red Bull’s difficulties have continued under Formula 1’s new regulations in 2026, with the team falling further away from the front of the grid.
Those struggles had fuelled speculation over Verstappen’s future despite his existing agreement running for another two seasons, with reports suggesting the 28-year-old could explore opportunities elsewhere.
His new contract now ends that uncertainty and represents a major vote of confidence in Red Bull’s rebuilding project under team principal Laurent Mekies.
The timing is also significant, with the announcement coming ahead of Verstappen’s home Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
Red Bull described its relationship with Verstappen as “one of the most successful and defining partnerships in F1 history”, while calling the new agreement “a powerful statement of mutual trust and ambition – and a shared decision to shape the future together”.
Verstappen says his focus is firmly on helping Red Bull return to championship-winning form.
“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.
“This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue. I want to thank Red Bull, Laurent and everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing for the trust they put in me.
“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.”
The 2026 campaign has been particularly challenging for Verstappen, who is yet to win a Grand Prix this season.
He has nevertheless reached the podium four times, but Red Bull have struggled to consistently provide him with machinery capable of challenging the leading teams.
Despite the lack of victories, Verstappen believes Mekies has established a clear direction for the team’s future.
“Getting to work with Laurent now for over a year has also been great, I see a clear vision he has for the team. Everyone in Milton Keynes believes in what we are building and I am looking forward to the next chapter, fighting for more victories and competing for championships as we continue to shape the future of this team.
“To make this announcement during the last Grand Prix at Zandvoort is a great moment for me as well. Hopefully we can give the fans a special send-off for the final race.”
Mekies became Red Bull team principal in July 2025 and has overseen a significant rebuilding period during his first year in charge.
The team chose to maximise its opportunities during the 2025 campaign, a strategy that contributed to Red Bull beginning the new regulatory era with an underdeveloped 2026 car.
Convincing Verstappen to extend his commitment until 2030 therefore represents a significant moment for Mekies and the team’s longer-term ambitions.
“Having Max continue with us and retaining the best driver on the grid is fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull, Oracle Red Bull Racing, as well as F1 and motorsport as a whole,” Mekies said.
“Very few partnerships in sport achieve what Max and this team have. Since the very beginning, Max has embodied everything that makes Oracle Red Bull Racing special: uncompromising competitiveness, relentless determination and the courage to challenge convention. His impact on our team and on Red Bull’s motorsport story has been transformational, and he has been fundamental to everything we have accomplished together.
“The decision to continue our journey together is rooted in the trust Max and the team have built over many years, as well as Max’s confidence in our people, our culture and our vision for the future. Forged through championship-winning success, intense battles and challenging moments alike, this relationship has only grown stronger – making it one of Formula One’s greatest success stories.
“But we are not done yet. There are more races to win, more milestones to achieve and more history to write. Together, we continue to raise the bar with the same determination that brought us to the top of the sport and an even greater faith in what we can achieve. Much will evolve as we move forward, but our ambition remains unchanged – united by one direction, one vision, one team.”
The extension means one of Formula 1’s most successful driver-team partnerships is now set to continue for another four seasons beyond the current campaign.
Verstappen’s decision also removes one of the biggest potential variables from the Formula 1 driver market, with the four-time champion now firmly committed to Red Bull’s plans.
Attention will instead turn to whether the team can provide him with a car capable of returning to regular race-winning and championship contention.
Having dominated much of the previous regulatory era, Red Bull now face the challenge of rebuilding their position under the new rules while competing against rivals that have adapted more successfully.
For Verstappen, the decision represents a commitment to the team with which he has spent almost his entire Formula 1 career and achieved his greatest successes.
For Red Bull, retaining the driver who has delivered four world championships and 71 victories provides a crucial foundation for their attempts to return to the top.
With his future now secured until the end of 2030, Verstappen will turn his immediate attention to Zandvoort as he looks to deliver a memorable performance in front of his home supporters and begin the next chapter of his long-running partnership with Red Bull.
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