Max Verstappen confirmed he’ll race Crimson Bull in 2026, saying he might go away on the finish of the season, “It is mainly time to cease all of the rumours.”
The defending champion has been linked to the transfer to Mercedes and has been in dialogue with Toto Wolf to grasp potential future choices, however is signed on a contract with Crimson Bull till 2028.
“It’s totally attention-grabbing to comply with the entire (rumors) and the quantity of pretty tales that got here out of it,” Verstappen mentioned. “However for me, I’ve by no means mentioned something about it as a result of I used to be centered on telling the workforce how we might enhance our efficiency and what concepts we might do subsequent yr, so I actually had nothing so as to add.
“However I feel it is time to mainly cease all of the rumours, and for me it is at all times clear that they are staying anyway.
“I feel that was additionally a normal feeling for the workforce, as a result of we had been always debating what we might do with the automobile, and once you’re not concerned about staying, you cease speaking about these sorts of issues, and I by no means did.”
On condition that his contract will run till 2028, Verstappen mentioned he isn’t certain if he might want to examine his future annually, however he is not going to focus on performance-related clauses.
“For those who ask that query subsequent yr, sure, I’ve that guess!” he mentioned. “However for me, I am not going to speak about it as a result of I am extra concerned about engaged on the efficiency of issues. So I by no means discuss what’s within the contract both.”
Verstappen’s affirmation from Verstappen will probably be competing for Crimson Bull subsequent season comes shortly after Laurent Mekie changed Christian Horner as workforce principal, with the four-time world champion saying the Mekies will supply alternatives for change in instructions that would present leads to future years.
“Completely, that is at all times the case,” he mentioned. “After all, it is nonetheless a really early age, however I like how Laurent works. He is very motivated and never solely asks me the appropriate questions and I am always asking the workforce.
“It’s totally tough to see any form of revenue this yr, however I hope that subsequent yr, two years will actually see him touching the workforce. I am very enthusiastic about it.”
Verstappen hopes his feedback will assist him concentrate on looking for extra efficiency in his present automobile with the aim of studying that Crimson Bull can profit his workforce sooner or later.
“Nobody actually is aware of the place they’re subsequent yr,” he mentioned. “And realistically for us this yr, after all, will probably be very tough to combat McLaren. Ferrari and Mercedes are already tough.
“However there are nonetheless many alternatives to study extra about automobiles and automobiles’ behaviour. I do know that automobiles will probably be completely different subsequent yr, so there’s nonetheless one thing I can take from this yr and implement subsequent yr.”
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