Verstappen Signs Red Bull Deal Through 2030, Ending McLaren Speculation

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands —

Max Verstappen has signed a new contract with Red Bull that will keep him at the team through the end of the 2030 Formula 1 season, Sky Sports reported. The deal replaces his previous contract, which was set to expire in 2028, and comes just days before his home race, the Dutch Grand Prix.

Sky Sports reported that Verstappen's management had held talks with McLaren earlier this year about a possible switch for 2027. Verstappen also had an exit clause that would have let him leave Red Bull for another team next season, since he was outside the top two spots in the Drivers' Championship when the sport's summer break began earlier this month. He is currently sixth in the standings, 110 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli, according to Sky Sports.

Instead, Verstappen chose to stay. "I am really pleased with the contract extension," he said, according to Sky Sports. "We have the best people and I'm excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again." He added that Red Bull "is like a second family for me," and said he has always wanted to spend his career with one team.

A Rocky Season Behind the Decision

Verstappen won four straight drivers' titles from 2021 through 2024, but lost the 2025 championship to Lando Norris of McLaren by just two points, according to Formula 1's own announcement of the new deal. Red Bull's car has struggled under new engine rules introduced this year, and Verstappen said in March that he was reconsidering his future in the sport, Sky Sports reported. He has not won a race in 2026 but has finished on the podium four times, according to Formula 1.

Sky Sports reported that Formula 1's governing body has since adjusted the power unit rules, with further changes planned for 2027, and that criticism of the current racing style has eased as the season progressed. Red Bull also started 2026 slowly but has improved its car and reliability since then, according to Sky Sports.

Red Bull Calls It a Defining Partnership

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said in a statement that keeping Verstappen was "fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull," calling him "the best driver on the grid" and crediting him with a "transformational" impact on the team. Red Bull described its relationship with Verstappen as "one of the most successful and defining partnerships in F1 history," according to the team's own statement reported by Formula 1.

Sky Sports reported that the extension makes it unlikely any of Formula 1's top four teams, Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull, will change drivers for the 2027 season.