Max Verstappen Red Bull exit talk shut down amid 'unwavering' commitment claim

Red Bull boss Christian Horner insists Max Verstappen has no desire to leave the F1 team.

Four-time world champion Verstappen’s future has been the subject of debate and speculation despite the fact he is contracted to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season.

Amid off-track turmoil surrounding Red Bull at various points last year, Verstappen’s commitment to the team was questioned. The Dutchman also found himself heavily linked to Mercedes, with Toto Wolff publicly courting Verstappen as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton.

Despite the rumours, Verstappen has maintained that he has no intention of leaving Red Bull and is happy at the team with which he has clinched all four of his world titles since 2021.

Speaking to Motorsport, Red Bull team principal Horner stressed that Verstappen's future was never in doubt. 

"Max has always been crystal clear with the team,” Horner said. "His commitment has been unwavering. He enjoys. the people that he trusts and the people that he works with and enjoys very much being a part of this team.

"Of course, with the talent that he has, I'm sure he's on every team principal’s Christmas wish list. That’s inevitable.

"But, as long as we can continue to provide him with a competitive car and an environment that he enjoys racing in, I don't see any desire for him to be anywhere else.”

At last year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen suggested he could quit Red Bull if advisor Helmut Marko was removed from his role in the wake of the scandal surrounding Horner at the start of the season.

Asked specifically about the comments Verstappen made in Saudi Arabia, Horner responded:  "Well, Helmut hasn’t left and isn’t leaving, so I think that Max is… he recognises the value of team and that's really, again, what he's nurtured during this period.

"When the car isn't delivering as you hope, your pitstops have got to be strong, the strategy has gotta be good, your reliabilities gotta be there, you've gotta be making the right decisions at the right moments.”

‘Business as normal’ for Horner

Horner faced allegations over his behaviour toward a female employee which resulted in speculation surrounding his own future and political in-fighting and turbulence at Red Bull.

Following an internal investigation conducted by an independent lawyer, Horner, who always denied the allegations, was cleared of wrongdoing. The woman who complained about Horner had her appeal against the investigation dismissed.

Horner insists the controversy has not affected how he runs the team.

"The thing is, as soon as you step across that red line into the garage, you leave behind all the noise from the paddock. And as soon as you went across that red line everything is business as normal,” he said.

"My role remains unchanged. In that there’s an awful lot… I wear many hats with [being] trackside, I'm the team principal of a high-performing sports team and from Monday to Friday, I'm the CEO of three technology businesses on chassis, engine and advanced technology.

"So, nothing has changed, business as normal."