Verstappen moves to end ’silver switch’ speculation

Max Verstappen has moved to put a final stop to lingering speculation that he may leave Red Bull at the end of the year.

Backed by Toto Wolff, who is willing to leave a seat open for the triple world champion until as late as November, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius said in Barcelona last week that "Silver would suit Max well."

But even amidst the internal turmoil at Red Bull this year, and the declining dominance of his 2024 car, the Dutch driver sounded fully committed to his current team and long-term contract in Austria.

"I don’t think that’s how Formula 1 works, where suddenly you can say, ’well, bye, guys’," said Verstappen. "It’s not how it works.

"I have a long contract with the team. I’m very happy where I am. And we’re already focusing on next year with things we can implement on the car.

I guess that should say enough of where I’m driving next year."

Verstappen’s comments were interpreted by international reporters all around the world as a definitive statement aimed at stopping the lingering speculation.

When asked to give a simple ’yes or no’ to whether he will still be racing a Red Bull in 2025, the 26-year-old bristled: "You didn’t get that out of my answer before? Ok then - yes.

"But that’s what I already said. I think when you say we’re already working on next year’s car and very focused on that, that means you’re driving for the team still," Verstappen insisted.

The 2024 championship leader even indicated that he’s not too worried about Red Bull’s ambitious strategy of producing its own engine in collaboration with Ford for the new regulations era beginning in 2026.

"The only thing that I can say about it is that everyone is pushing flat out to try and make it the fastest engine possible," Verstappen said. "And I like to be involved with the discussions.

"It’s a very exciting project for the whole team, and we have to wait and see, of course, how everything will be. But from what I can see at the factory, they have all the tools that they need to make it a success."