A major surprise on the eve of the Dutch Grand Prix in Formula 1. Red Bull has announced the renewal of Max Verstappen until 2030. After many rumors about a possible departure, Verstappen commits to Red Bull to be part of rebuilding a team that has changed much of its personnel in recent months.
Verstappen started the 2026 season threatening to retire from Formula 1 because the new cars, more electric, didn’t amuse him. Without any change beyond that his Red Bull is now more competitive, Verstappen renews his contract and commits to continue racing until this regulation ends.
Verstappen extends his contract with Red Bull for two more years, until 2030
The future of Max Verstappen was one of the great enigmas of the Formula 1 driver market, but no one expected this resolution. On the table was whether Verstappen would switch teams or stay at Red Bull to fulfill his contract, but no one imagined what really happened: a renewal.
Red Bull has just announced that it has signed Verstappen to a new contract that binds him to the energy-drink team until 2030. A contract theoretically unnecessary, since Verstappen had a contract until 2028, but in practice very necessary because it dispels rumors and reaffirms Verstappen’s commitment to Red Bull.
In fact, Verstappen renews with Red Bull at a time when everyone around him is leaving the team. In recent months Adrian Newey, Christian Horner, Jonathan Wheatley and Helmut Marko, among others, have departed. The next to go will be his on-track engineer, Gianpiero Lambiasse, who has signed with McLaren.
The most striking aspect of this renewal is how it clashes head-on with Verstappen’s stance at the start of the season. The four-time champion threatened to quit Formula 1 if these new cars, with more electric content in their engines, were not changed. It seemed serious, but this renewal for four more years shows that it wasn’t as serious as it appeared.
Indeed, this technical regulation ends precisely in 2030, so Verstappen has committed to continuing to participate under it for its full duration. Red Bull has improved, and that allows seeing things from another prism. And the patches announced by the FIA, which seem minimal and have not yet been tested, also help.
BREAKING: Max Verstappen will remain at Red Bull Racing until the end of 2030#F1 pic.twitter.com/inHmW3dEJJ
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 20, 2026
What is clear is that Verstappen’s renewal with Red Bull wipes out the 2027 Silly Season. The big teams will stay in their seats for another year.
Images | Red Bull
