Verstappen will stay at Red Bull after fourth consecutive F1 title

Max Verstappen has dismissed speculation about a possible move from Red Bull after completing his fourth consecutive Formula 1 world title in Las Vegas.

Verstappen admitted that he had considered a team change during a difficult season on and off the track, and that Mercedes team manager Toto Wolff had openly offered the Dutch driver to replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

“I am very committed to the team” he said. “Of course I appreciate what he did for me, taking me from F3 to the F1 seat and going through all those emotions over the years with these important people in the team.”

“So when times are tough, it’s easy to say goodbye, forget or ignore. But I think it is much more important to really confront them and get through this process together.”

Verstappen finished fifth in Las Vegas, one place ahead of championship rival Lando Norris, with controlled driving. This result gave him an indisputable 63-point lead in the championship race with only two races remaining.

The 27-year-old won seven of the first 10 Grands Prix this season but struggled in the second half as Ferrari and McLaren’s cars outpaced the Red Bulls.

But Verstappen responded with a superb drive in the rain in Brazil three weeks ago to win from 17th in the standings. hailed as a ‘masterclass’ by team boss Christian Horner.

His fourth title is equal to Sebastian Vettel’s achievement, with only Hamilton and Michael Schumacher ahead of him with seven titles, and Juan Manuel Fangio in fifth place.

internal investigation

Off the track, Red Bull’s season has been disrupted by an internal investigation into Horner following allegations of inappropriate behavior by a female colleague. Verstappen stated that experienced consultant Helmut Marko could leave the team if he left the team following allegations that information about Horner was leaked.

While the complaint against Horner was dismissed in August, Red Bull retained the services of both Marko and Verstappen.

With Mercedes taking the top two places in Las Vegas, Verstappen said he expects an even more competitive season in 2025.

He said: “I had a dominant car last year but I always felt that not everyone appreciated what we achieved as a team, 10 wins in a row.

“But I’m also proud of this season because for 70% of the season we didn’t have the fastest car, but we still led.”