Red Bull driver Max Verstappen reveals his future plan and where he will drive in 2025

Regening World Champion Max Verstappen has officially dispelled doubts regarding his future in Formula 1, confirming his commitment to Red Bull Racing for the 2025 season. Speculation about Verstappen's potential departure arose earlier in the year amid internal team tensions and external interest from rival teams.

The rumours began circulating during the early races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where Verstappen's relationship with Red Bull seemed strained. A particular point of contention was the investigation into team principal Christian Horner's conduct, which fueled further uncertainty.

Verstappen hinted that he might consider leaving if Helmut Marko, a key ally and Red Bull's motorsport advisor, were to be removed from his position. This statement sparked speculation about a possible move to Mercedes, especially with Toto Wolff expressing interest in Verstappen as a successor to the potentially Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.

Despite these early-season tensions, Verstappen has firmly stated his intention to remain with Red Bull. Addressing the media ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix he dismissed the notion of an abrupt exit from the team. "I don't think that is how Formula 1 works, where you could suddenly say, 'Bye guys,'" Verstappen remarked. "I have a long contract with the team and I'm very happy where I am at."

"You didn't get that out…”, says Max Verstappen

Verstappen's focus remains on the future, particularly on the development of next year's car. He emphasized the collaborative efforts with Red Bull to ensure competitiveness in the forthcoming season. "We are focusing on next year with things that we can implement on the car, so I guess that should say enough for where I am driving next year," he stated.

When directly asked if he would continue with Red Bull, Verstappen's response was unequivocal. "You didn't get that out of my answer before? Yes," he confirmed. "We're working on next year's car and the thing is that when you are very focused on that, it means you are driving for that team."

Red Bull's dominance in the current ground-effect era has been notable, though the team has faced increasing competition, particularly from McLaren. Despite this, Verstappen remains confident in Red Bull's ability to stay ahead. He reiterated his commitment to working with the team to maintain their competitive edge.

"I've said this before, and naturally people are talking of course, but it is most important that we just have a very competitive car for the future," Verstappen explained. "At the moment it is very tight but we are working well as a team to try and improve and for sure, I already said this to the team, we are working and focusing on next year to try and be competitive again.”