Marko plays down exit Talk as Verstappen edges closer to Red Bull stay

In Belgium, the dominant topic on both Thursday and Friday was Verstappen’s future — a subject that has lingered for weeks. Despite being under contract with Red Bull until 2028, speculation around his long-term commitment has persisted since early 2024.

The recent departure of Christian Horner has already satisfied one of the key demands from Verstappen’s camp. Their other major concern lies in the team’s on-track performance. Should Red Bull show a clear upward trajectory, Verstappen will have little reason to consider leaving.

According to Helmut Marko, however, there is no reason whatsoever to doubt Verstappen's future at Red Bull Racing. "We have a contract that is completely valid. None of the clauses I read has anything to do with reality," Marko told the German section of Sky Sports.

The fact that Verstappen has not yet said that he will definitely stay, Marko dismisses with a joke: “He could have said ‘I’m staying’, but what would journalists have asked then? That would have been quite boring. As long as nothing happens on the circuit, you need something to write about."

The chances of Max Verstappen staying have increased significantly since Laurent Mekies arrived. The atmosphere within Red Bull Racing has changed since the arrival of the Frenchman and could very well result in the Dutchman deciding to stay ‘home’ for longer.