The agreement between Max Verstappen and Red Bull was far from a foregone conclusion. While rumors circulated about a potential team switch, a far more likely scenario for the Dutchman was the end of his career. He had been “closer to retirement than to joining another team,” the four-time world champion said on Thursday in the Zandvoort paddock. At the start of the season, he had made it clear to team principal Laurent Mekies: “Don’t bring me all these questions about the future, because I don’t even know if I want to continue at all.”
The main sticking point was the new Formula 1 engine regulations, under which nearly half of the power now comes from the battery—creating persistent energy management issues in practice.
After the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Verstappen, one of the most vocal critics of this regulatory philosophy, had even publicly threatened to retire early from the sport. Now, however, he has signed a long-term deal—until 2030. The prospect of a return to V8 engines with reduced hybrid components, which FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is targeting from 2030, seems to have been the turning point: “Hopefully, by 2030, a new opportunity will open up with the introduction of the V8 engines,” said Verstappen. The regulations would “gradually improve,” he added, and he “has come to terms with the current situation.”
Over the next two years, the internal combustion engine is set to progressively return to supplying 60 percent of total power. From 2031, the FIA will regain full control to set the regulations without manufacturer approval. Ahead of his home race at Zandvoort (Sunday, 15:00 CEST/RTL and Sky), the champion sits only sixth in the drivers’ championship.
