Max Verstappen Reaffirms Red Bull Stay, Plays Down Mercedes Links
He called the summer Sardinia encounter with Toto Wolff a chance family lunch, not contract talks.
Overview
- Speaking in an end-of-year Viaplay interview on Dec. 19, Verstappen said he is staying with Red Bull and reiterated his position for 2026.
- He described the Sardinia episode as an unplanned overlap, saying they waved, shared lunch, and their children spent time together.
- Verstappen noted that casual conversations with other team principals are normal but often misread as negotiations.
- Recent speculation traced back to Wolff’s public praise of Verstappen, uncertainty over Mercedes’ driver plans, and a GT3 test that kept rumors circulating.
- Some outlets report he remains under contract at Red Bull through 2028, a detail not independently confirmed in the interview.