Max Verstappen, from Holland, who races for Red Bull Racing, remains firm in his decision to stay with the team, despite rumors that Adrian Newey’s departure could lead to his exit. Verstappen, who has a contract until 2028 and is on the verge of securing his fourth consecutive title this season, has been consistently linked to a move away from Red Bull. A recent internal power struggle within the team, following an investigation into team principal Christian Horner’s behavior, has further fueled speculation. Verstappen’s father, Jos, even suggested that Red Bull could be facing a crisis. The news of Newey’s departure in 2025 has only heightened rumors about Verstappen’s future. However, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has publicly expressed his desire to have Verstappen in his team alongside George Russell, as Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari. Previous reports suggested that Verstappen’s representatives were scheduled to meet with Mercedes this month to discuss a €150 million contract offer. Verstappen, however, dismissed the importance of money in his decision-making process, stating that performance is the key factor for him. He emphasized that he is content with his current earnings and that his focus is on achieving the best results on track. Verstappen made it clear that both he and Toto Wolff understand the importance of performance in their discussions.
Wolff stated in China last month that Mercedes could potentially lure Verstappen away from Red Bull, despite the ongoing struggles of the German team due to other factors.
When asked if he found it strange that Wolff mentioned waiting for Verstappen’s decision, the reigning champion replied: “No, because I believe it is important for everyone to maintain optimism and hope. However, at this moment, I can confidently say that I want to stay with the team because I have faith in the project and the people involved.”
He further added: “But in the end, both in sports and in life, the future is uncertain.”
It is believed that one of the factors Wolff was referring to is the introduction of new technical regulations in 2025, which could give Mercedes the opportunity to regain its dominance.
However, Verstappen argues that it is too early to predict who will be competitive under the new rules, especially because Red Bull is focused on developing its own power unit.
“I have no idea who will be the most competitive in ’26. It’s not something I’m thinking about currently,” Verstappen emphasized.
He also denied that the upcoming rule changes are influencing his decision, stating that he is more focused on performing well this year and believes there is still a great chance of success in the following year.
“So, in that sense, ’26 is quite far away,” he concluded.
