(Motorsport-Total.com) – Mercedes, McLaren or Aston Martin? No way! Max Verstappen will also drive for Red Bull in Formula 1 in 2027, the team announced on Thursday morning – just in time for the home race in Zandvoort. More than that: The four-time world champion will not only stay with the Bulls beyond 2026 but has also extended his contract early on a long-term basis.
Read more Ralf Schumacher: This is why the World Championship battle could still become «tight»
The Dutchman has committed to the team until 2030, for which he has been driving since 2016 and with which he won four consecutive world titles between 2021 and 2024.
His previous contract was still valid until 2028, but there had been repeated rumors about a change. Last year, there were already intensive talks with Mercedes, but they agreed to wait for the new regulations first. There were also corresponding rumors in 2026, and recently McLaren confirmed talks as well.
That Verstappen not only stays with Red Bull but also extended his contract long-term comes as a surprise to many in the paddock. He had repeatedly sharply criticized the new Formula 1 regulations and left open whether he would stay in the sport beyond 2026 or seek a new challenge.
Sportingly, things are also not going as desired for the Bulls this year. As the only top team, Red Bull is still without a win this season, and his sixth place in the drivers’ championship would probably have allowed Verstappen to switch via a clause.
Verstappen: “Looking forward to the next chapter”
But now comes the commitment to the team: “I am really very happy about the contract extension. We have the best people, and I am eager to continue working with everyone to get back to the top,” says Verstappen. “That remains the ultimate goal we are all working towards and will continue to pursue.”
He also emphasizes the great collaboration with the “new” team principal Laurent Mekies, who replaced the long-time team leader Christian Horner last year: “I see a clear vision that he has for the team,” he says.
“Everyone in Milton Keynes believes in what we are building, and I am looking forward to the next chapter – fighting for more wins and competing for championships while we continue to shape the future of this team.”
Mekies: “We are not done yet!”
Mekies himself is delighted about the successful extension with his star driver: “That Max stays with us and that we can keep the best driver on the grid are fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull, Red Bull Racing, as well as for Formula 1 and motorsport as a whole,” he makes clear.
“Very few partnerships in sport achieve what Max and this team have accomplished. From the start, Max has embodied everything that makes Red Bull Racing so special: uncompromising competitiveness, tireless determination, and the courage to challenge conventions,” says Mekies.
Read more Opinion: Why Liam Lawson deserves the second Red Bull chance
“His influence on our team and Red Bull’s motorsport history has been groundbreaking, and he was fundamental to everything we have achieved together.”
The contract durations of current Formula 1 drivers
The decision to continue the journey together is based on the trust Verstappen and the team have built over many years, as well as Verstappen’s trust in the staff, culture, and future vision, he believes.
“Tempered by shared title wins, intense duels, and equally challenging moments, this relationship has only grown stronger – making it one of the greatest success stories in Formula 1.”
“But we are not done yet,” Mekies continues. “There are more races to win, more milestones to reach, and more history to write. Together, we raise the bar with the same determination that brought us to the top of the sport – and with an even greater belief in what we can achieve.”
“Much will change going forward, but our ambitions remain unchanged: united by one direction, one vision, one team.”
15 years in the same team?
Max Verstappen began his Formula 1 career in 2015 with the sister team Toro Rosso – now Racing Bulls – and was promoted to Red Bull in 2016 after only four races in exchange for the unlucky Daniil Kvyat. He then won his first race in Barcelona.
The most controversial moments of Max Verstappen in Formula 1
After years in the shadow of Mercedes, a series of four consecutive world titles followed from 2021, before the Bulls initially fell back somewhat in 2025 but still improved enough that Verstappen had title chances in the last race.
If the Dutchman fulfills his contract with the Bulls, he would drive for the same team for a total of 15 years – a unique Formula 1 record.
Read more Günther Steiner: How the relationship with Gene Haas broke down