F1 champion Max Verstappen FINALLY confirms Red Bull future ahead of Hungarian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull, Belgium, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

Latest F1 News

Max Verstappen FINALLY confirms Red Bull F1 future ahead of Hungarian GP

The Dutchman's future as been a topic of hot debate in recent months

Kevin McKenna

Thursday 31 July 2025 17:12 Updated: 18:36

Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen has at long last put an end to speculation over his Red Bull future.

The Dutchman - whose contract is up in 2028 - has been strongly linked with a move to Mercedes in recent months, with the story dominating much of the discussion on race weekends.

Verstappen has kept tight-lipped on the matter as he tries to keep his faltering drivers' title ambitions on track, but has now confirmed he will remain with the Milton Keynes-based outfit for next season at least.

Article continues under video

Speaking to media ahead of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, he said: "I've never really said anything about it because I was just focused on talking to the team about how we can improve our performance, future ideas for next year as well, and that's why I had nothing really to add.

"But I think it's time to basically stop all the rumours, and for me it's always been quite clear that I was staying anyway.

"I think that was also the general feeling in the team anyway, because we were always in discussions about what we could do with the car.

"And when you're not interested in staying, then you also stop talking about these kind of things – and I never did."

Max Verstappen trails both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the drivers' standings

Verstappen targets positive result in Budapest

Verstappen's immediate focus is firmly on matters on the track, with a positive result imperative at the upcoming race at the Hungaroring after back-to-back grands prix without a podium finish.

He currently occupies third spot in the drivers' standings behind leader Oscar Piastri and his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.

With the constructors' title also set to go the way of the iconic British outfit for the second year in succession, Verstappen is facing up to the prospect of ending the year without a championship triumph to celebrate for the first time since 2020.

It promises to be a challenging period for both driver and Red Bull - who recently parted company with team principal Christian Horner - with new engine regulations coming into force next season set to have a big impact across the grid.

F1 HEADLINES: Lewis Hamilton TRICKED as team summon 'emergency meeting'