Max Verstappen has confirmed his Verstappen Red Bull contract extension still contains performance clauses, meaning the four-time world champion could yet seek a move if the team fails to recover competitiveness by next year.
In an interview with BBC Sport conducted at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Verstappen said the two-year deal (which in theory runs to the end of 2030) changes little in practical terms. ‘I feel good here,’ he said. ‘So this, for me, is the right place to be.’
Verstappen Red Bull contract extension: the terms behind the deal
The Verstappen Red Bull contract extension was announced as Verstappen prepares for what BBC Sport reports is his final home race before the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort falls off the calendar. The timing gives the announcement added weight in the Netherlands.
Verstappen was clear-eyed about the car’s shortcomings. ‘Overall we’re just lacking a bit of performance,’ he said. ‘The car is not where I want it to be feeling-wise, and the through-corner balance is too hit and miss between entry, mid and exit.’ He added that changes would not be possible mid-season and that the team is gathering data to fix problems for 2026.
He confirmed he had spoken to both Mercedes and McLaren before committing to Red Bull. ‘Any kind of chat you take seriously,’ he said. ‘They’re all very respectful chats. I felt that staying was, for me, the right choice.’
On the decision itself, Verstappen rejected any suggestion he had been persuaded by financial incentives alone. ‘You cannot be the captain of the ship and as soon as there is something not working, you jump off the ship,’ he said. ‘It’s been a bit downwards from the dominant years, but I don’t mind also rebuilding it.’
Lambiase move to McLaren adds pressure at Red Bull
The backdrop to the contract decision includes a significant personnel change at the top of the team. According to ESPN, Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join rivals McLaren no later than 2028, a departure that underlines the scale of the rebuild Verstappen has committed to at Red Bull.
Verstappen acknowledged new personnel are already part of the conversation about the car’s direction. ‘Some people have left, new people have come in,’ he said. ‘We are discussing what we can do about it. Is that just some changes, a different philosophy? All these kind of things.’
He said his advice to Red Bull throughout the contract talks was straightforward. ‘I always said to them: don’t stress about it, just work on the car. Because the faster the car goes, the easier the decision is anyway.’
Engine rules and the call for a V8 return
Verstappen repeated his criticism of Formula 1’s current hybrid engine formula, which he said removes the reward for the most committed drivers. ‘In the history of the sport, normally the driver that is the most committed, the latest on the brakes, earlier on throttle, committing in the high speed, they get rewarded,’ he said. ‘But now you’re constantly thinking about, in this corner I might have to hold in a bit.’
He used recent driver swaps to illustrate his point. ‘Look at Yuki [Tsunoda]. He jumps in the car, never driven the car before. Immediately competitive,’ Verstappen said. ‘These cars are numb to your driver inputs.’
For the next engine formula, Verstappen said he wants a return to a V8, with a much-reduced battery role. ‘It has to go back to a V8, just for drivability already,’ he said. ‘Try to really limit the battery size to maybe like a kind of push-to-pass battery. But you should not have it involved or any kind of proper normal performance running.’ He said he would also prefer to remove the turbo, citing turbo lag as an unwanted consequence.
Outside Formula 1, Verstappen said the Nurburgring 24 Hours was his race highlight of the year so far, despite the car retiring. He also confirmed discussions with Fernando Alonso about a potential Le Mans programme. ‘It needs to fit our schedules,’ he said. ‘And there needs to be a real chance to go there and win it.’
With Zandvoort set to leave the F1 calendar after this weekend, Verstappen’s final home race arrives at a moment when he has publicly staked his near-term future on a Red Bull revival, performance clauses and all.
