Max Verstappen extends Red Bull contract through 2030

Max Verstappen has committed to staying with Red Bull Racing through 2030, following a period of significant uncertainty regarding his future in Formula 1. The four-time world champion revealed that he had seriously considered retirement earlier this month, noting that he was “closer to leaving Formula 1 than signing with another team” before ultimately deciding to extend his contract.

Verstappen addressed rumors regarding his motivations, rejecting claims that the extension was driven solely by salary increases. He cited his love for racing and the team's willingness to allow him to compete in endurance racing as key factors in his decision. His father, Jos Verstappen, noted that the decision was influenced by a desire for stability and the positive leadership of team principal Laurent Mekies.

In parallel, McLaren is actively negotiating with Red Bull to accelerate the arrival of Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s long-time race engineer. While Lambiase is currently contracted to join McLaren in 2028, McLaren team principal Zak Brown is seeking to move the transition forward, potentially to 2027, to ensure the engineer does not spend a season away from competition. Red Bull is already preparing for this transition by integrating Tom Hart as Verstappen’s new race engineer.