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Amid swirling rumors and months of speculation, Max Verstappen has finally set the record straight about his Formula 1 future. The reigning World Champion confirmed that he will continue with Red Bull Racing into the 2026 season, firmly shutting down all talks linking him to a possible move to Mercedes.
Max Verstappen quashes speculation with firm response
Verstappen addressed the ongoing chatter ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, taking a firm stance on the speculation that has surrounded him throughout the 2025 campaign. Despite Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff previously acknowledging conversations with Verstappen about a potential switch, the Dutch driver made it abundantly clear where his loyalty lies.
“The thing is, people are waffling so much throughout the whole season while the only one that actually can or should speak is not speaking,” Max Verstappen said. “That’s me, and I do that on purpose because it makes no sense to start throwing things around. Some people just like to stir the pot… but for me it’s always been quite clear.”
He continued, “I’m discussing with the team already the plans, the things that we want to change next year, so that means I’m also staying with the team for next year.”
No yacht meetings, no surprises
Max Verstappen brushed off a cheeky question about whether his yacht would be docked next to Wolff’s during the summer break, using it as a moment to further reinforce his Red Bull commitment.
“If my boat is next to Toto’s then the boat is next to Toto’s,” he remarked. “You can have a personal relationship with someone even if you don’t have a working relationship.”
He added, “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.”
New era, new leadership at Red Bull
As Red Bull enters a new technical regulation phase in 2026—bringing significant changes to the chassis and power unit—Verstappen seems energized by the direction the team is heading, especially under new leadership.
Longtime Team Principal Christian Horner has been replaced by Laurent Mekies, and Max Verstappen had only praise for the new boss.
“He’s very friendly, he’s very open, very motivated, very driven. That’s what you want to see from a boss and I like it,” said Verstappen. “It’s a nice atmosphere he is creating and I’m very excited for the future.”
Despite Mekies taking over mid-season, Verstappen believes the new team principal is already asking “the right questions and ideas” and sees long-term potential in their working relationship.
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