'Red Bull wants to buy out Verstappen's contract clause for millions'

In recent weeks, Verstappen's future has been heavily discussed once again. Will he stay with Red Bull Racing, or will he leave after this season? In a conversation with Sport Bild, Vermeulen provided more details: “We have a contract until 2028. Of course there are clauses that would allow us to leave; those have always been there.”

“But we have never used them. On the contrary, we have always been loyal and we will remain loyal. We want to continue on the path with Red Bull and make sure that Max finishes his career here,” Vermeulen continued. Still, he also pointed out: “We do want the possibility to win.”

Verstappen’s clause is likely to take effect this summer, as it’s virtually impossible that he is inside the top two in drivers' standings by the Hungarian Grand Prix. Verstappen would need to win multiple times, while Hamilton, Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri would have to suffer significant setbacks. If the Dutchman were to invoke his clause only in October, Red Bull might no longer be able to find a suitable replacement. That is why rumors suggest that Red Bull's Thai owner, Chalerm Yoovidhya, would also like to buy out Verstappen's release clause for a number in the low double-digit millions.

Vermeulen indicated that they want to be considerate of the team: “We want a decision to be made soon, so that everyone knows where they stand. The decision could be made before the summer break.”

After the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, it already emerged that Red Bull had not yet received confirmation that Verstappen would remain with the team in 2027. The team got that answer after a meeting in Salzburg, attended by Red Bull’s top brass. With his remarks, Vermeulen thus said that a confirmation indeed cannot be given yet.

Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff and Thai owner Yoovidhya are said to have stated that they want to build a successful future for Red Bull Racing with Verstappen. The plan includes poaching “bright minds” from rival top teams. Verstappen plays an important role in this, as attracting the best personnel “gets a bit easier” if the four-time world champion is headlining the project.

This does not mean that Verstappen would leave immediately, as Vermeulen also hinted. It can be seen as a way of keeping Red Bull on its toes. In recent weeks, Verstappen has emphasized more often that it is sometimes necessary to keep the team sharp.

GPblog asked Verstappen in Monaco about the situation surrounding his contract. The Dutchman himself is in no rush to sign a new contract, as his answer made clear. He said: “I haven’t signed a new contract for a while. That’s not my biggest concern at the moment. I still have two years. First I need to decide for myself whether I want to continue beyond 2028. I’m not in a hurry either. Otherwise I would’ve signed a contract for 2040 ages ago."