Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has openly confirmed he held serious discussions with both Mercedes and McLaren about his Formula 1 future.
The Dutch driver has been at the centre of F1 transfer speculation for the past two seasons as Red Bull’s grip on the championship loosened considerably.
During the 2025 season, Verstappen was heavily linked with a switch to Mercedes, with team boss Toto Wolff publicly expressing his desire to sign the champion.
Despite the persistent rumours and genuine interest from rival teams, Verstappen opted to remain with Red Bull and see out the turbulent period.
Heading into 2026, speculation flared up again, this time with reigning constructors’ champions McLaren entering the picture alongside talk of a potential retirement.
All of that uncertainty was put to rest ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Verstappen’s final home race in Formula 1, when he signed a new long-term contract with Red Bull through the 2030 season.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Verstappen confirmed the talks with both Mercedes and McLaren were genuine and conducted with full seriousness on both sides.
“Of course, any kind of chat you take seriously. They’re all very respectful chats. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Verstappen told BBC Sport.
“I felt that staying was, for me, the right choice. You have to follow your heart. I could have run away very early on in my Red Bull career and gone somewhere else to try and win.”
Verstappen added that patience had proven to be a defining quality throughout his career, one he intends to carry forward into the next chapter at Red Bull.
“If you have a little bit of patience, you do end up winning. I feel like that’s my approach now as well,” he said.
The new contract makes Verstappen the highest-paid driver in Formula 1 by a significant margin, with reports placing his base salary at an astonishing $107 million per season.
Dutch F1 insider Robert Doornbos has claimed that when bonuses are factored in, the total value of the deal could reach half a billion dollars across its four-year term.
That figure dwarfs the reported $60 million base salary of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, underlining just how highly Red Bull value their star driver heading into the new era.