Verstappen dismisses Red Bull exit speculation amid Saudi Arabian Grand Prix preparations

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

In response to buzz surrounding a potential exit from Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen has shot down suggestions that he might part ways with the team at the conclusion of the season. Heading into the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, the four-time world champion emphasized his commitment to his craft and his team, redirecting attention toward improving his car’s performance.

"A lot of people are talking about it [my future] except me," Verstappen told reporters on Thursday. "Like I said before, I just want to focus on my car, work with the people in the team – that is the only thing I am thinking about in Formula 1 at the moment. I am very relaxed."

When asked by commentator David Croft about potential plans to leave Red Bull for another top-tier F1 team, Verstappen responded curtly: "You focus on commentating, I'll focus on driving and we don't need to worry about any other scenarios."

Speculation around Verstappen’s future gained traction following his disappointing sixth-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, admitted the team was facing "great concern" over the possibility of the Dutch star activating the performance clause in his contract. The clause, as confirmed by Marko earlier in the year, could give Verstappen an opportunity to leave Red Bull before his current deal expires in 2028.

Rumors escalated after Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, was seen engaged in what appeared to be a contentious discussion with Marko following the Bahrain race. Red Bull had endured a series of issues in Bahrain, including suboptimal pit stops and a malfunction with the traffic light system that caused further frustration.

Verstappen dismissed the public reading of Vermeulen and Marko’s exchange, chalking it up to post-race debriefs. "To my knowledge, I think they were having just a conversation about everything, which I think is allowed," Verstappen explained. "If someone, of course, picks up on it, people can always see it in their own way, how people are discussing things."

Verstappen acknowledged that frustrations had boiled over following their Bahraini struggles but added: "We all care at the end of the day. We care about the team, we care about the people, we care about results. I think that's quite normal."

Currently sitting eight points behind championship leader Lando Norris after four races, Verstappen is staying grounded about his title hopes. His surprise win at the Japanese Grand Prix provided a boost, but inconsistency has been Red Bull's Achilles’ heel so far this season.

"I'm not thinking about that [the championship]," Verstappen said. "I just go race by race and hopefully it will be better here than Bahrain. If we can get in the middle of the two [performances in Japan and Bahrain], we can be happy with that. Then we just move on, and the rest is out of my hands anyway."

Despite the slow start, Verstappen remains optimistic about Red Bull's ability to bounce back and improve throughout the season. "I think we are not the quickest, so naturally it is very tough to fight for a championship, but then it's still a very long road. This time last year at round five it was all looking great and we all know how the season ended up," Verstappen added. "I’m hopeful that we can still improve things, but we will see what we get."

As the F1 grid gears up for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen's laser focus on racing and development may be just what Red Bull needs to turn the tide – and silence the growing whispers about his future.

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