Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali expressed his relief after Max Verstappen committed his future to Red Bull with a fresh contract ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. Domenicali stressed that Verstappen's presence remains essential to the championship.
Verstappen was already tied to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season, but his deal included a well-known exit clause that would have allowed him to leave if certain performance targets were missed before the summer break. That clause was active ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, fueling intense speculation about his next move, especially amid reported talks with Mercedes and Red Bull.
There was also the possibility that he could walk away from F1 entirely, a threat he had repeatedly made while voicing his dislike for the current regulations and the unpredictable nature of racing at certain circuits.
"The news of Max staying at Red Bull for the next [few] years is a cherry on the cake for this weekend," Domenicali told Formula1.com. "It's great news, very proud and happy because Max is a World Champion, a world-class person that has a great personality in the sport, and I cannot see Formula 1 without him."
Red Bull has endured a difficult season by its own high standards, failing to win any of the first 12 races, leaving Verstappen 130 points adrift in the championship and effectively out of contention. Domenicali added: "Really very happy that this news now is official and all this talk that has been happening so far will be out of place. And now I'm sure that the focus for the team is to be as good as possible to give Max the best car that they can."
Read Also
Peter Windsor menilai Ferrari 'takut' mengatur Lewis Hamilton dan Charles Leclerc usai blunder strategi di GP Belanda, yang berujung gagal podium.
Yuki Tsunoda merasa Racing Bulls terkesan dengan penampilan comeback-nya di GP Belanda F1, finis P11 setelah menggantikan Liam Lawson.
Yuki Tsunoda tampil impresif saat menggantikan Isack Hadjar di GP Belanda, finis ke-11 dan melobi tim F1 untuk kontrak 2027.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!