F1
Christian Horner responds to Max Verstappen rumour spreading like wildfire
Christian Horner has clarified that Max Verstappen will ‘absolutely’ be driving for Red Bull in the first race of the 2026 season, despite widespread speculation about a possible departure from the Milton Keynes squad. Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 campaign but reportedly has levers that he can use to escape his current terms, should the team fail to provide a car that can compete for Drivers’ Championship titles.
This looks to be the case in 2025. After a miraculous victory from an unlikely pole position in Japan, Red Bull’s fortunes took a turn for the worse. Verstappen was only able to salvage a P7 grid slot from qualifying in Bahrain, and he improved just one position in the Grand Prix on Sunday.
