Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is now confident that Max Verstappen will remain with Red Bull for the forseeable having feared that the Dutchman may seek pastures new
Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has seen fears over Max Verstappen’s exit cool and is growing increasingly confident about his future. The Dutchman has been linked with the exit door despite his long-standing association with the team.
Verstappen has won four world championships on the bounce with Red Bull but there have been rumours of discontent with the superstar driver reportedly considering his next move.
Red Bull’s drop off this season has only served to fuel rumours of an exit with McLaren now setting the pace in Formula 1. As a result Verstappen has only managed one win from the opening six races of the season and faces an uphill battle to land a fifth successive championship.
Despite that Marko, who was instrumental in bringing Verstappen into the team back in 2016, has grown more secure over the driver’s future and believes he will remain with them into next season.
He told Bild: “That’s true, but they [the fears] have already shrunk. Max is loyal and subsequently publicly committed to Red Bull. That fits with how I see him now. He’s fully focused on his job here. That’s why I don’t think he’s even considering a change. Quite the opposite. I’m convinced Max will continue to compete for Red Bull in 2026.”
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Mercedes have been linked as a potential destination for Verstappen as they look to again dominate the sport. Equally a mega-money switch to Aston Martin has been talked up with the team recently bringing in legendary designer Adrian Newey, who worked with Verstappen at Red Bull.
Marko is confident that the 27-year-old’s next move isn’t dependent on whether or not he wins this year’s world championship. The team are aiming to close the gap on McLaren but missing out won’t be the sole factor that decides next year’s driver line-up.
He said: “Before the season, we talked about our expectations for 2025. Everyone – including Max – agreed that defending the title is obviously the goal, but we can’t assume that we’ll succeed. We’ll do everything we can, but no one can expect us to win every time. We have to take home the maximum number of points possible.”
Verstappen recently underlined the fact he had a contract with the team in 2028, by which time he will review his situation and see which projects appeal to him. The sport is set to go a major regulation change from next year which could change the current landscape.
“I will do it as long as I enjoy it and I can relate myself to the sport how I want to,” he said previously.
