Max Verstappen Extends Contract With Red Bull Through 2030

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona on June 3, 2023. Nacho Doce/ReutersFour-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has signed an extension through the end of 2030 with Red Bull, the racing team announced on Aug. 20.“I am really pleased with the contract extension,” he said in a statement released by Red Bull. “We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again. This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue.”The announcement comes ahead of the driver’s home Dutch Grand Prix this weekend.Though Verstappen has been with the Red Bull family since 2014 and Red Bull Racing since 2016, a disappointing 2026 season had sparked questions surrounding Verstappen’s future with the team and even possible retirement.With his representatives meeting with McLaren team management in June and Mercedes previously showing interest, signals pointed toward the possibility of a blockbuster move.“After the first few races [this year], I said to Laurent [Mekies, Red Bull team principal]: ‘Don’t come to me with any kind of questions about the future because I don’t even know if I want to stay.’ Honestly, we always kept it very open,” Verstappen said in a statement to multiple media outlets.The 28-year-old added that he seriously considered leaving F1, and when asked if he’d spoken to other teams, he said he was closer to retirement than changing teams.“The simple truth is Max has always said that he wanted to stay with Red Bull,” Mekies, with a different perspective, said in an interview with F1. “When we finally agreed on everything, he said, ‘I told you I always wanted to stay!’”Red Bull was not competitive at the start of the season, with Verstappen voicing his frustrations and safety concerns regarding his Red Bull car’s rear wing causing two high-speed crashes this season.“When the rear wing doesn’t close fully, you lose a lot of downforce and you spin off the track,” he said in an interview with F1 after a crash at the British Grand Prix. “So, yeah. One time, okay, but two times … this is becoming dangerous for myself. And obviously, I don’t want that.”Verstappen is sixth in this season’s standings with only four podiums and no wins through 11 races.In the previous five seasons, Verstappen won more than half of his races and placed on the podium nearly 75 percent of the time.Red Bull is fourth among teams, with fewer than half the points of the leader, Mercedes.“We absolutely still want to try and win races this year,” Mekies said. “The mood will not be high until we are back to winning.”The Associated Press contributed to this report.