Max Verstappen has confirmed he will race for Red Bull Racing throughout the 2026 season. The announcement ends months of speculation that he might swap the Milton Keynes dark blue for a Mercedes Silver Arrow when the sport’s landmark technical regulations come into force next year.
Sources close to the team—including Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko—have confirmed the Dutch four-time world champion will remain despite vigorous courtship from rival teams.
Verstappen, contracted until the end of 2028, had reportedly held performance-based exit clauses tied to finishing outside the top three in the drivers’ standings by late July. But consistent performances—he remains third in the championship standings and has outscored Mercedes’ George Russell by 28 points—meant the clause was never activated.
Asked directly ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen said: “It’s time to basically stop all the rumours” and made clear that staying put “has always been quite clear” both for him and within Red Bull.
Within Red Bull boardrooms, the departure of Christian Horner as team principal in recent weeks had sparked concerns that Verstappen might reconsider his future with the team he has represented since 2016. However, Verstappen signaled that the arrival of his new boss, Laurent Mekies, had no bearing on his commitment.
Indeed, he praised the Frenchman’s open and collaborative style: “He’s asking… the right questions. I like it. It’s a nice atmosphere… I’m very excited for the future, what we can do together.” This implied confidence suggests that internal restructuring has bolstered rather than weakened his resolve to stay.
Team principal Christian Horner had previously brushed off speculation as “noise,” expressing certainty that Verstappen would still be with Red Bull in 2026.
Meanwhile, Helmut Marko framed the driver as “central to the project,” confident that Verstappen would deliver a fifth world championship under Red Bull colours—and reiterating that the team’s long-term plan had always revolved around him.
Verstappen’s statement came at a delicate time for Red Bull. Following a season of underwhelming form, including missed targets and internal headaches, the team recently fell behind McLaren in the constructors’ standings—a rarity in an era otherwise dominated by Red Bull.
The speculation surrounding Verstappen’s future intensified as a result. The decision to dispense with Horner, long-standing team boss since 2005, was widely seen as a deliberate move to retain Verstappen amidst growing pressure and performance decline.
Although Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, had publicly confirmed talks with Verstappen—and McLaren CEO Zak Brown even predicted a move to Mercedes—those conversations ultimately led nowhere. Brown had speculated that Verstappen might leave at the end of 2025, but those predictions have been proven inaccurate.
Verstappen quipped dryly during the Hungarian GP press conference: “If my boat is next to Toto’s, then it is,” a facetious way to downplay persistent rumours of a change in affiliation.
The confirmation of Verstappen’s tenure through 2026 brings clarity to a driver market that could otherwise have ignited into chaos. Mercedes is expected to retain George Russell and its rookie Kimi Antonelli, while potential openings at Alpine, Cadillac, and even McLaren remain under discussion.
But with Verstappen secured, Red Bull has neutralised the most seismic possible driver shift of the offseason. That leaves the task of rebuilding performance firmly on its shoulders, particularly as the team prepares to introduce its first in-house power unit in partnership with Ford under the new 2026 regulations.
Adding further nuance, Verstappen emphasized that exit clauses in his contract could still permit negotiation with other teams in 2027, despite his stay through 2026.
In countries like the Netherlands and Spain, motorsport outlets noted that while his contract extends until 2028, those clauses remain active beyond next year—meaning the possibility of a team switch later remains theoretical.
The background to this saga traces back to Verstappen signing his current mega contract in early 2022, locking in a long-term stay through to 2028—a move widely hailed as one of the sport’s most significant driver-team commitments in memory.
It followed Verstappen’s breakthrough world championship year in 2021 and demonstrated mutual trust: Red Bull believed in his talent and he believed in their ability to deliver championships. The 2022 deal, described by many as a statement of intent, has benefits for both sides as the sport transitions into a new technical era.