Helmut Marko strongly believes Max Verstappen will stay with Red Bull despite rumors suggesting the Dutchman could leave the team.
The next three weeks will be crucial—if not decisive—in determining whether Max Verstappen can truly fight on equal footing with McLaren until the end of the season. His stoic resistance in Miami against Piastri and Norris didn’t pay off, as the Dutchman finished fourth due to the Virtual Safety Car. Red Bull continues to rely on the immense talent of the four-time world champion, although his future with the team is far from guaranteed.
Helmut Marko sought to clarify Verstappen’s future with these remarks: “My concerns about Max potentially leaving have already diminished, because he’s a very loyal guy and has made his commitment to Red Bull clear. Right now, I see him fully focused on his work with us, and that’s why I don’t think he’s considering switching teams. On the contrary, I’m convinced he’ll still be with us in 2026.”
Marko then added: “I don’t think money is a decisive factor for Max. It’s true that he doesn’t have the highest salary on the grid with us, but what really matters to him is being able to win. That’s why we need to provide him with an increasingly competitive car. We’re working on it, and we’ll soon be introducing important updates to the car. Before the season began, we discussed our goals for 2025 together.
Everyone, including Max, agreed on the target of defending the title. We’re fully aware that we can’t take anything for granted. We’ll do everything possible to stay at the top, but in Formula 1, you can’t expect to win all the time.”