ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Max Verstappen has revealed that leaving Formula 1 altogether was once a more realistic possibility than switching teams, ending months of speculation about whether the four-time world champion would abandon Red Bull.
The dramatic admission came as Verstappen confirmed a new contract with Red Bull that will keep him with the team through the end of the 2030 Formula 1 season.
The announcement effectively closes one of the biggest driver-market stories of 2026. For months, Verstappen had been linked with potential moves to Mercedes and McLaren as Red Bull struggled to match the pace of its rivals under Formula 1’s new technical regulations.
But Verstappen said a move to another team was never his preferred solution.
“I was closer to retiring than changing teams,” Verstappen said ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
The 28-year-old explained that his uncertainty was driven largely by the direction of Formula 1 under the sport’s new 2026 regulations, particularly the increased reliance on electrical power and the greater emphasis on energy management.
Earlier in the season, Verstappen had been openly critical of the new-generation cars and admitted that he was unsure whether he wanted to continue racing in Formula 1.
He has since changed his outlook.
Verstappen said discussions with Formula 1 and FIA officials, combined with his own adaptation to the new cars, helped convince him that the sport could move in a direction he was more comfortable with.
Why Verstappen Nearly Walked Away
The possibility of Verstappen leaving Red Bull became one of the defining stories of the 2026 season.
Red Bull entered the new technical era struggling for consistency, while Mercedes established itself as the benchmark early in the campaign. Verstappen’s concerns were not simply about winning races; he had repeatedly questioned whether he enjoyed driving the new cars as much as the previous generation.
Formula 1’s official coverage reported earlier this year that Verstappen’s contract originally ran through 2028 but was understood to contain performance-related clauses that could potentially allow him to leave early.
That opened the door to speculation involving Mercedes and McLaren.
McLaren’s interest was particularly intriguing because Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, is scheduled to leave Red Bull and join McLaren in a senior racing role in 2028. However, McLaren CEO Zak Brown previously indicated that his team was happy with its current driver pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
The possibility of a Verstappen move therefore remained more speculation than an established transfer plan.
Red Bull Ultimately Got Its Biggest Victory
Instead of changing teams, Verstappen has now chosen to extend one of the most successful partnerships in modern Formula 1.
Red Bull confirmed the new deal on Thursday, extending Verstappen’s commitment from 2028 through 2030. Reuters reported that the agreement ends the immediate uncertainty surrounding his future and could include performance-related mechanisms similar to those associated with his previous contract.
Verstappen has driven for Red Bull since 2016 and won four consecutive drivers’ championships from 2021 through 2024.
His decision is especially significant because Red Bull is currently going through one of its most difficult competitive periods in years. Reuters reported that the team sits fourth in the 2026 constructors’ standings, while Verstappen is sixth in the drivers’ championship and has yet to win a race this season.
That makes the renewal more than a routine contract extension: it is a vote of confidence in Red Bull’s long-term rebuilding project.
The Rules Could Still Decide Verstappen’s Ultimate Future
There is another important twist.
Verstappen’s new contract does not necessarily mean he has abandoned his concerns about Formula 1’s technical direction.
He has acknowledged that discussions surrounding future engine regulations have influenced his thinking. The possibility of further changes, including discussions around a future return of V8 technology, could become increasingly important to his long-term decision-making.
That means 2030 may not necessarily represent the final chapter of Verstappen’s Formula 1 career — but it gives Red Bull something it desperately needed: stability around its most important driver.
Formula 1’s own coverage had already highlighted how central Verstappen’s decision was to the wider driver market, with several teams effectively waiting to see what the four-time champion would do before finalising their own plans.
Now they have their answer.
Verstappen isn’t going to Mercedes. He isn’t going to McLaren. At least for now, the driver who once looked closer to walking away from Formula 1 than changing teams has chosen to stay exactly where his championship story began to take off.
And with a contract running to 2030, the next question is no longer which team will Verstappen drive for?
It is whether Red Bull can give him a car capable of making that decision worthwhile.
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