Aug.21 (GMM) Max Verstappen has ended months of speculation by signing a new Red Bull contract through 2030, although the Dutchman says his biggest uncertainty was never another team – it was whether to continue in Formula 1 at all.
The timing of the new expiry is significant because it coincides with the expected arrival of Formula 1’s next engine cycle.
“Well, it was mainly about actually continuing in Formula 1,” Verstappen told reporters at Zandvoort when asked what had changed.
“But, yeah, the rules are slowly getting a bit better and, let’s say, I’m willing to live with it. And hopefully, you know, by 2030 it opens up another opportunity, potentially with V8 engines coming in, to look again.”
Asked whether rival teams had seriously figured in his thinking, Verstappen was dismissive.
“It doesn’t matter. Well, not to me.”
Former Red Bull advisor and ongoing Verstappen confidante Dr Helmut Marko says securing Verstappen was fundamental for the team’s rebuilding phase.
“Max is the face of the team, he is the leading figure,” he told Kronen Zeitung. This contract extension is crucial.”
“Every ambitious engineer wants to work with the best driver on the grid. This is the right signal at exactly the right time.”
“This will bring calm and stability to the team.”
Marko also believes the 2030 date was deliberately chosen.
“Whether a new engine will be introduced in 2030 or 2031 remains to be seen,” said the Austrian. “That certainly played a role.”
According to De Telegraaf’s Erik van Haren, Laurent Mekies helped convince Verstappen by inviting him, father Jos and manager Raymond Vermeulen to Milton Keynes in May for a detailed PowerPoint presentation covering the car, engine program and future technical structure.
Jos Verstappen says trust in Red Bull has been restored, although he hinted that performance-related safeguards remain in the contract.
“The main argument is that there is trust in each other,” he told Formule 1.
“Otherwise, of course, we would not have signed the contract. Yes, the confidence is that we will get a winning car at Red Bull again.”
“Of course, agreements have been made about this in the contract. What those agreements are, we know that and Red Bull knows that and we’re not going to hang that on the big clock.”
Ralf Schumacher told Bild newspaper that staying was ultimately the logical choice for Verstappen.
“I believe Max is in the best hands at Red Bull,” said the German.
“It’s a team he knows and that does everything for him.”
Pierre Gasly, meanwhile, joked that former teammate Max’s negotiations may also have been lucrative.
“I think his manager has done a very good job and secured him a nice pay rise,” he smiled.