Christian Horner Dismisses Rumors on Max Verstappen’s Future with Red Bull

In the face of growing speculation about the future of four-time champion Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner remains unfazed. Despite concerns raised by team advisor Helmut Marko regarding Verstappen’s willingness to stay with the team amid their performance struggles in 2025, Horner is convinced that the Dutch driver will remain a part of the Red Bull family next year.

Rumors Surrounding Verstappen’s Future

In the wake of Marko’s comments to Sky Germany, whispers about Verstappen’s future have intensified. Previous links to teams like Mercedes and Aston Martin, which had previously cooled down, have resurfaced. However, Verstappen himself clarified on Thursday that he is solely focused on helping Red Bull overcome its current slump and is content where he is.

Marko had earlier suggested that Verstappen’s contract, which expires at the end of 2028, includes a break clause based on the team’s performance.

Horner’s Response to the Rumors

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Horner dismissed the speculation surrounding his lead driver. When asked if he expects Verstappen to still be with Red Bull in 2026, he responded affirmatively. “I think ‘noise’ is exactly the right word to describe it,” Horner said after the opening practice for this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Horner reiterated that Verstappen had reaffirmed his commitment the previous day and that their focus is on making the car faster. He emphasized that Verstappen is a committed member of the team, and any further discussion about his future is mere speculation.

Addressing Marko’s Comments Directly

When asked about Marko’s comments directly, Horner stated that the team’s advisor was welcome to have his own view. However, he reiterated that Verstappen’s future would not be a concern if Red Bull can turn its fortunes around.

Red Bull’s Strategy for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Horner explained that they spent FP1 “going a little radical” on set-up options to explore their RB21 further and figure out how to get the best out of it. He estimated that Verstappen had a 0.3-second disadvantage in Jeddah’s first sector, as revealed by Verstappen over the radio that he was struggling to turn the car in the opening corners.

Horner expressed that they are focused on sorting out the car and making it a non-discussion point. He acknowledged their contrasting emotions after their victory at Suzuka and the challenging race in Bahrain. They are trying several different things this weekend, so FP1 was about exploring radical set-up options.

Horner concluded that they have plenty to look at and digest from the session. They ran the cars slightly differently as well, providing them with valuable information for further analysis.

Red Bull’s Current Standing in the 2025 Championship

Red Bull is currently third in the 2025 championship, 80 points off leaders McLaren despite Verstappen’s victory at Suzuka.