F1 News: Max Verstappen's private jet travels to Red Bull HQ home as talks of new deal ramp up

Verstappen in orange cap and navy Red Bull top looking serious at Austrian GP — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen's private jet travels to Red Bull HQ home as talks of new deal ramp up

Has Verstappen flown to Salzburg for new negotiations with Red Bull?

By Vincent Bruins.

Wednesday 29 July 2026 16:42

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Four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen is now officially on his summer holidays following last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, but the world of F1 truly never takes a pause.

While reports suggest Verstappen is enjoying some downtime in Sardinia, his private jet recently detoured to Salzburg, the headquarters of Red Bull GmbH.

Rumours about the Dutchman's future in the sport have been raging all year and look to have a slim chance of slowing down over the annual summer shutdown.

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There have been whispers of discussions with Toto Wolff at Mercedes, meetings with McLaren, and even talks of staying with Red Bull.

According to BILD, the 28-year-old has been offered a new deal through the end of 2029 that crucially exists without an exit clause.

His current contract runs until 2028 and does include an option to leave, which he could have activated by now given his championship position.

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Verstappen jets to Salzburg amid whispers of contract offer

How long Verstappen continues to race in F1 and with Red Bull will depend on the technical regulations and the team’s ability to push the envelope.

Despite his strong performances, he has yet to secure a victory this season, and even after coming close with a P2 finish in Hungary last time out, Verstappen himself admitted he had no idea how he managed to do so in the RB22.

Typically, the summer break is a time for teams and drivers to regroup, but it appears Max might also be using it to explore new contract negotiations.

Flightradar24 reports that his jet first flew to Sardinia—a regular holiday destination for the family—before making its way to Salzburg. The details of who was on board remain unknown.

Salzburg is home to the Red Bull GmbH headquarters, where Verstappen and his manager Raymond Vermeulen recently met with co-owner Mark Mateschitz and CEO Oliver Mintzlaff.

The jet’s visit was clearly focused on a business stop at the energy drink company’s office, not a maintenance appointment for something like a Dassault Falcon 8X.