--- title: "Verstappen settles in Red Bull: four-time world champion signs new contract and praises Mécès" description: "Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has signed a new contract with Red Bull Racing, putting an end to rumors of a move to other teams. The driver noted progress under the leadership of Laurent Mécès." date: 2026-08-20T13:14:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/max-verstappen-signs-new-contract-red-bull tags: [formula-1, max-verstappen, red-bull-racing, f1-contract, laurent-mekies] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Verstappen settles in Red Bull: four-time world champion signs new contract and praises Mécès ![Max Verstappen and Frederik Vasseur shake hands at the desk after signing the driver's new contract with Red Bull Racing](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/21/maks-ferstappen-prodlil-kontrakt-red-bull/maks-ferstappen-prodlil-kontrakt-red-bull-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Max Verstappen signed a new contract with Red Bull Racing, ending rumors of a move to Mercedes, Aston Martin, or McLaren. - The old preliminary agreement was scheduled until 2028 and contained clauses for early exit. - Verstappen praised the team's work under Laurent Mécès and stated the goal of returning to the top. - The driver has four titles and 71 wins to his credit; last season he was second behind Lando Norris, and in the current season he is yet to win. - The term of the new contract is not agreed upon in sources: the main text does not name it, while f1-portal.ru indicates 2030. Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has officially ended months of speculation about his future: the Dutchman has signed a new contract with Red Bull Racing. This was reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the official website of the Austrian team. The decision was announced against the backdrop of the final Grand Prix in Zandvoort, which, according to the driver himself, was a special moment for him. ### The end of months of speculation Previously, the 28-year-old Verstappen had a preliminary agreement running until 2028. However, the document contained clauses for early exit, which, against the backdrop of criticism of the new regulations and the team's unstable results, sparked rumors of a possible move to Mercedes, Aston Martin, or McLaren. Signing a new contract has ruled out all these speculations and confirmed the champion's continued partnership with Red Bull Racing. ### Context: from junior to legend Verstappen's path within the Red Bull structure began in 2014 when he joined the junior program. In 2016, at the age of 18, he won his first race in Spain, becoming the youngest Grand Prix winner in championship history. Ten years after that first victory, the Dutchman has four world titles and 71 Grand Prix wins to his name, which is the third-highest tally in Formula 1 history. ### New management and a bet on returning to the top In his statement, Verstappen highlighted the positive changes in the team under the leadership of Laurent Mécès, who took charge of Red Bull Racing last July. "I am really happy to extend the contract. We have the best people, and I look forward to continuing our work together to return to the top. Announcing this during the last Grand Prix in Zandvoort is a special moment for me," said the driver. At the same time, one must take into account the current form: last season, Verstappen finished second in the championship behind Lando Norris, and in the current season he has not yet won a race, which makes the bet on returning to the top the key goal of the extension. ### Contradictory data There is a discrepancy between sources regarding the term of the new agreement. In the main text, citing the official Red Bull Racing website, the specific end date of the new contract is not mentioned — it is only noted that the old preliminary agreement was scheduled until 2028. At the same time, the publication f1-portal.ru states that Verstappen has extended his contract with Red Bull Racing "until 2030". Thus, the fact of the extension is confirmed by all sources, but the exact horizon of the new agreement is not agreed upon in open materials: some publications limit themselves to stating the extension, while others name 2030. Until an official press release with exact terms appears, this figure should be treated with a reservation. ### What this means for the peloton Extending the contract of the main title contender deprives several teams of potential reinforcement and changes the balance of power in the Formula 1 transfer market. For Red Bull Racing, this is a signal of a long-term strategy around an experienced driver and new technical management, while for competitors, it is confirmation that the fight for Verstappen is closed for the next window. Against the backdrop of news about Carlos Sainz signing a new multi-year contract with Williams, the driver market continues to tighten, and the stakes for the coming seasons are rising. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [End of rumors: Verstappen signs new long-term contract with Red Bull](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/othersport/kinets-chutkam-ferstappen-pidpisav-noviy-1787229638.html) - Первичный источник: продление контракта, старое соглашение до 2028 с пунктами о досрочном выходе, цитата пилота, объявление в Зандворте, статистика (4 титула, 71 победа), второе место позади Норриса в прошлом сезоне. - [Four-time world champion Max Verstappen extends contract with Red Bull](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8893552) - Подтверждает факт продления контракта четырехкратного чемпиона с Red Bull. - [Max Verstappen extends contract with Red Bull Racing until 2030](https://www.f1-portal.ru/?id_notes=20060) - Подтверждает продление, но называет срок «до 2030 года», что не совпадает с основным текстом, где срок нового контракта не указан (только старое до 2028). Источник нестыжки. - [Four-time Formula 1 champion Verstappen extends contract with Red Bull](https://nsn.fm/sport/chetyrehkratnyi-chempion-formuly-1-ferstappen-prodlil-kontrakt-s-red-bull) - Подтверждает факт продления контракта с Red Bull. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: For how many years has Max Verstappen signed a contract with Red Bull Racing? **A:** In the main text, citing the official Red Bull Racing website, the exact term of the new contract is not mentioned; it is only noted that the old preliminary agreement was scheduled until 2028. The publication f1-portal.ru indicates a term of "until 2030", so the exact horizon of the new agreement is not agreed upon in open sources. ### Q: Where, according to rumors, could Verstappen have moved before the extension? **A:** Against the backdrop of early exit clauses in the old contract and criticism of results, there were rumors of a possible move to Mercedes, Aston Martin, or McLaren. The new contract has ruled out these speculations. ### Q: What are Verstappen's results in the last seasons? **A:** Last season he finished second in the championship behind Lando Norris, and in the current season he has yet to win. In total, he has four world titles and 71 Grand Prix wins to his credit.