Marko adamant: Verstappen won’t leave despite clause rumors

As speculation swirls around Max Verstappen’s long-term future at Red Bull following a tough stretch of races, Helmut Marko has once again insisted that the reigning world champion has no reason to walk away – despite the existence of an exit clause in his current deal.

Verstappen’s nightmare outing at Red Bull’s home race in Austria, where he was eliminated on lap one by Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, capped a miserable weekend and extended the Dutchman’s winless streak to five grands prix.

It also saw Red Bull’s record 77-race points-scoring streak come to a bitter end.

The slump in form has predictably reignited talk surrounding Verstappen’s future. His long-term deal with Red Bull runs through the end of 2028, but is widely believed to contain performance-related escape clauses – a common feature in top-tier F1 contracts.

No Panic Over Contract Clauses

While the media and F1 fans alike continue their speculation, Marko remains unfazed.

“I assume people will use a race like this to stir things up,” Marko said after the Austrian Grand Prix, quoted by Motorsport.com.

“But again: Verstappen has a contract through 2028. Like all top drivers, there are performance-based exit clauses – but as things currently stand, there is absolutely no reason that this contract won’t be fulfilled.”

While acknowledging he couldn’t recall the precise language of the clauses, Marko was firm in his belief that Verstappen isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“There is currently no reason to worry about any sort of exit,” he added.

Verstappen Keeping Cards Close

Though the team is standing by its star driver, Verstappen himself has done little to extinguish the rumours. When asked ahead of the race weekend whether he would still be racing for Red Bull next year, his answer was anything but definitive.

• Read also: F1i Driver Ratings for the 2025 Austrian GP

“I don’t think we need to talk about that,” Verstappen said. “I don’t know, do you want me to repeat what I said last year?

“It’s the same answer. I don’t even remember what I said last year, really. But again, it’s not really on my mind. Just driving well, trying to push the performance. And then we focus on next year.”

For now, Red Bull insists their four-time world champion isn’t going anywhere – but with the team slipping and Verstappen non-committal, the paddock whispers won’t be quieting down any time soon.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook