Christian Horner has stated that Max Verstappen “would like to finish his career in a Red Bull car” with the team boss insisting that the squad “know where we’re at” amid continued rumours linking the Dutchman to Mercedes.
Max has been with Red Bull since the very start of his career, all of his success has come in Red Bull Racing cars, and he’s been a big part of our team and he has a great deal of faith in the team and the people around him.
We’re very focused on our current drivers and the relationship, Max has got a contract until 2028.
“He’s made it quite clear that he would like to finish his career in a Red Bull car, from start to finish – I think that’s quite special and unique for him.
There are no guarantees that jumping into a Mercedes car would automatically be a better proposition.”
Max Verstappen “would like to finish his career in a Red Bull car,” according to Christian Horner, the team manager, who also insisted that the team “know where we’re at” in the face of persistent rumors that the Dutchman is driving a Mercedes.
The four-time World Champion had said, “I have nothing to add,” in response to inquiries about his future during Thursday’s media day. “”.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Horner was asked similar questions. When asked what Verstappen had told him about the situation, the Red Bull Team Principal responded, “There’s obviously an awful lot of people talking about it, but what’s most important is the relationship between the driver and the team, and obviously there’s an agreement that defines that as well.”.
“Everyone is quite clear about where we are. Max joined Red Bull at the beginning of his career, and all of his accomplishments have been in Red Bull Racing vehicles. He has been a vital member of our team and has a lot of faith in the group and those around him.
Even though rumors and noise will always circulate, I believe that everyone is reasonably content with the state of affairs and where we are. Although we have no control over other people’s stories, we are aware of where we stand on the inside. “.”.
“Oscar Piastri! It’s all as subjective as that,” Horner joked when asked if there was a backup plan in case Verstappen decided to leave, with McLaren CEO Zak Brown standing beside him at the press conference. Max has a contract that runs through 2028, so we’re really focused on our current drivers and their relationship.
He has stated unequivocally that he wants to complete his career in a Red Bull vehicle, from beginning to end. I believe that is something very special and distinctive for him. Focusing on the areas where we know we need to improve and how to do so, while disregarding the noise, is what we’re doing. “”.
The rumor, Horner continued, stems from the fact that George Russell has not yet signed a new contract with Mercedes.
“The agreements between the teams and the drivers will always be kept private, and every driver’s contract has a performance mechanism component, which is obviously present in Max’s contract as well,” the British national stated.
In 2026, he hopes to be there, driving for us. It is inevitable that any other team in the pit lane will be very interested in him. In my opinion, George started all of this rumors in an attempt to gain control of his own circumstances and compel clarification, which makes sense given that he has had a strong season this year.
However, there will unavoidably be conjecture about it forever. In my opinion, the most crucial element is the obvious clarity that exists between Max and the team. “.”.
Horner also added, “It’s amazing that George is still on the market,” when asked if Russell would be a viable option for Red Bull in the event that Verstappen left. George is obviously fairly certain that he will be able to keep his current position because we haven’t had any conversations with him.
“As you can see by the Racing Bulls drivers and [Arvid] Lindblad that we’re running today, we have strength and depth within our team. And 2026 is going to be a game-changing year because it will likely see the largest rule changes in Formula 1 in the previous 50 years, with simultaneous introduction of changes to the chassis and power unit.
Nobody with a heart can predict the hierarchy; it could be any of the two men sitting next to me, Andy Cowell of Aston Martin and Brown of McLaren; it could be a Mercedes, a Ferrari, or anybody else.
Only around this time next year will you have a clear idea of what that pecking order is, in my opinion, as 2026 is incredibly subjective. No assurance exists that getting into a Mercedes would be a better option. “.”.
