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Red Bull leadership and driver changes amid restructuring

Updated 17 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-31 07:21 UTC → 2026-09-01 19:24 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Red Bull’s 2026 RB22 B-spec upgrades have narrowed the gap to the front-runners, leaving the team fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. Max Verstappen remains seventh in the Drivers’ standings, over 250 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli. Amidst intense speculation regarding a potential move to rivals like McLaren or Mercedes, Verstappen has officially signed a contract extension committing him to Red Bull Racing until the end of the 2030 season. The announcement, made around the Dutch Grand Prix weekend in Zandvoort, follows reports that the team had previously offered a five-year deal through 2033. During the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen crashed on the first lap after misjudging grip levels on a drying section of the track, forcing a red flag. He exited the vehicle uninjured. While financial details remain unconfirmed by the team, analysts have offered varying estimates. Some suggest an annual salary between 70 and 90 million euros, while others speculate total earnings, including bonuses and sponsorships, could approach $1 billion by 2030. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has contested some of the more astronomical salary figures reported in the media. Verstappen noted that negotiations were smooth due to relationships with leadership, including Oliver Mintzlaff and Laurent Mekies, though he expressed concerns regarding the technical direction and driving characteristics of current F1 cars. Former driver Riccardo Patrese observed that staying at Red Bull allows Verstappen to remain in a team built around him. ~~The extension, alongside moves by~~ In a broader shift toward long-term stability in the driver market, Lando Norris ~~and Franco Colapinto,~~ has also signed an extension with McLaren through 2030, describing the move as his “easiest decision” in his career. This trend, which includes Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, is expected to stabilize the ~~driver market and reduce volatility through~~ grid but may freeze the ~~late 2020s.~~ traditional ‘silly season’ of driver movement. Red Bull is also undergoing a technical reshuffle.

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