Max Verstappen staying put at Red Bull, says Christian Horner

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has dismissed speculation about Max Verstappen leaving the team as mere "noise," reaffirming his belief that the four-time world champion will remain with Red Bull through 2026.

The rumors come after Red Bull's disappointing performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix, prompting concern from Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who noted that Verstappen's contract, which runs until 2028, contains a performance clause that could allow an early exit if the team fails to deliver a competitive car. Currently third in the standings, Verstappen trails championship leader Lando Norris by eight points.

Ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen remained tight-lipped about his long-term future, saying he's "relaxed" and focused on improving the car. However, Horner was clear in his stance.

“Noise is exactly the right word to describe it,” Horner told Sky Sports. “There’s been a lot of noise outside of the team, inside of the team… Max reaffirmed his commitment yesterday. We’re focused on making the car faster, Max is part of that, and he’s a committed member of the team. The rest is all speculation and hearsay.”

Asked if Verstappen would still be with Red Bull in 2026, Horner confidently said, “Yeah. Absolutely.”

Reports have linked Verstappen to potential moves to Aston Martin or even Mercedes, with the latter’s team boss, Toto Wolff, openly expressing interest in the Dutch driver. Speculation intensified after Marko was seen in a heated discussion with Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, in Bahrain, sparking rumors of a "crisis summit." Horner refuted that narrative.

“It was not a crisis summit,” Horner clarified. “If you sit down with your engineers and discuss the race, I wouldn’t describe that as a crisis. We’ve got some issues with the car, but the team is working hard on introducing upgrades in the coming races to address those shortcomings.”

Horner remains confident that improving the car’s performance will put the exit rumors to rest.

“People are always going to have their concerns,” he said. “As a team, we are focused very much on sorting this car out. Sort the car out, and it doesn’t even become a discussion point.”

For now, Red Bull aims to resolve its technical challenges and reaffirm its place at the top of the grid—keeping Verstappen locked in as the centerpiece of their efforts.

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