Max Verstappen will continue to drive for Red Bull next year, team principal Christian Horner has stated following rumours of a lucrative offer from Aston Martin.
Red Bull is facing further speculation over their star driver’s future after he fell to third place in the championship at the previous round. The team’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko last week claimed Verstappen could exploit an exit clause in his contract if he is not inside the top three by the summer break in August.Asked whether Marko’s claim was true, Horner said: “I think ‘noise’ is exactly the right word to describe it.”
“There’s been a lot of noise outside of the team,” he told Sky. “Inside the team, I think Max again reaffirmed his commitment yesterday.”
Horner said Verstappen will “absolutely” continue to drive for Red Bull in 2026.
Verstappen’s dissatisfaction with the team’s dip in performance last year prompted claims he could move to a rival team before his current deal with Red Bull ends in 2028. The first rumours of an approach from Aston Martin emerged earlier this year.
Today La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed Aston Martin has offered Verstappen a three-year deal worth $300 million (£226m). The Italian newspaper claimed Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has spent heavily on other sports, intends to buy the team and will finance the bid for the four-times world champion.
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Horner downplayed Marko’s fears Verstappen could leave the team. “People are always going to have their concerns,” he said. “As a team we are very much focused on sorting this car out. Sort the car out, it doesn’t even become a discussion point.”
Verstappen and team mate Yuki Tsunoda ended the first practice session at the bottom of the top 10. Horner said the team had “gone a little radical on some of the set-up,” in that session.
“We’ve got plenty to look at. We ran the cars slightly differently as well, so that we’ve got that information now to digest before the second session.”
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Sham (@sham)
18th April 2025, 16:26
As with all rumours like this, that’s all they are. This one wouldn’t surprise me if Red Bull aren’t fully competitive all season, but it’s still just a rumour.
And Horner is only saying what any competent person would say in his position.
SteveP
18th April 2025, 17:30
The problem is that with Horner’s record of distancing himself from truth, we’ve all come to expect that what he says isn’t true*, so the alarm bells should be ringing.
*The cost cap breach comments figure high in the list.
His “innocence” in the Hornygate events is rumoured to cost top side of a million (multi-million?) to keep it out of court.
sim
18th April 2025, 18:12
Its not out of court unless somethings changed recently – it was reported last month that its due to go to employment tribunal next January.
PeteB (@peteb)
18th April 2025, 20:02
That doesn’t make sense though unless you are suggesting that if Max had actually confirmed to Horner that he was staying at Red Bull, Horner would lie and say he was leaving… Until something is signed, any team boss would do the same thing Horner is doing and claim their driver is staying so it’s irrelevant what he says now.
If (and it’s a big “if”) there is a break clause in Max’s contract, why would he tell anyone now that he’s leaving? They’ll stop sharing data with him the second he says he’s going but he wants to win the Championship so he’ll claim he’s staying up until the latest possible moment.
Ben
18th April 2025, 17:37
Except from when they are true. We’ve had this countless times over the years and even very recently ( Newey leaving RedBull and Hamilton to Ferrari )
Let’s see, I don’t think it’s as crazy as it sounds. Max knows Aston are putting all their effort into 2026 and knows how good Newey is at building a car to suit him. He’s also been very open that he sees huge issues with the 2026 regulations. He knows where RedBull are currently and where they are likely to be next season. Personally I wouldn’t be at all shocked if he leaves at the end of the season.
anon
18th April 2025, 20:00
Well, there have also been quite a few rumours over the years that also proved false too – by definition, rumours are something that have an inherent uncertainty to them.
There was a famous meme some time ago when Alonso was moving between teams and one person made a collage of Alonso in six different team colours to joke about how many different teams he was supposed to be in talks with and supposedly just on the brink of signing a contract with. The speculation about whether Max is going to leave the team has a similar feel to it.
Markos
18th April 2025, 21:28
Don’t forget Honda. There seems to be a lot of respect between Honda and Verstappen.
Leo B
18th April 2025, 17:45
Who is going to make way at Mercedes? Not young Antonelli who looks the brightest prospect for F1 since Max himself. Please No.
dot_com (@dot_com)
18th April 2025, 20:02
I think the rumors are linking Max to Aston Martin, not Mercedes.
Simon (@donsimoni)
18th April 2025, 20:19
For now it’s all rumour: conditions of the exit clause, AM’s bid and what Max’ intentions actually are. On the other hand, Russell is still waiting for a contract renewal.
Online pundits will have to sit and wait.
Palindnilap (@palindnilap)
18th April 2025, 18:26
Note that Perez was “absolutely” there to stay for 2025 as well.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th April 2025, 19:06
Indeed he was, yeah.
SteveP
19th April 2025, 7:00
With a contract for 2025, for what that was worth.
Jeanrien (@jeanrien)
18th April 2025, 19:34
Verstappen doesn’t seem to be tanking though. A bit of a strange clause if the only criteria is not being in the top 3. I would imagine there is at least a condition he should be lead RedBull driver at that point (not that it is currently challenging for Max).
PeteB (@peteb)
18th April 2025, 20:05
I don’t believe a team would be stupid enough to include a clause that says “if you’re not in the top 3, you can leave.” If he wants to leave, he can just chuck it in the wall a few times and he’s not in the top 3….
Conky
18th April 2025, 20:29
Yeah they totally wouldn’t notice that. There are absolutely exit clauses, amongst others.
Conky
18th April 2025, 20:27
Verstappen will go to whoever pays the most. Just like Newey.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
18th April 2025, 21:10
He has a lot of money, I think he’d rather go to whoever offers the most competitive cars, if he’s not satisfied about red bull.
MichaelN
18th April 2025, 21:43
Maybe, but he’ll take the money regardless.
These figures are beyond absurd. And they’re so greedy they still all go to Monaco.
Conky
18th April 2025, 23:56
Since when did having a lot of money stop anyone from wanting more money. He will go to whoever offers the most while whispering sweetly in his ear about how great the team will be. The Verstappens aren’t the brightest so they will probably be quite confused about now.
paulsf1fix
18th April 2025, 20:50
I think 9 times out of 10 when a rumour in F1 is denied it is sometimes true, Max has been linked to Aston Martin before this season even started. Ralf Schumacher linked MV to Alpine…. and some media outfits ran the story.
During the week it was reported George Russell is talks with Mercedes about staying on at the team, as for Verstappen going to Aston Martin it could happen. Also Honda are joining them too.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
18th April 2025, 21:13
I don’t believe in an afterlife but I reckon Eddie Jordan knows whats going on. :-)
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
19th April 2025, 0:03
$300 Mil? ….. to be in the same team as Lance? …… no thanks, I still have some pride left.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
19th April 2025, 8:09
Talk is easy.