P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen ends Mercedes speculation by confirming Red Bull F1
Max Verstappen has officially confirmed that he will continue to drive for Red Bull in 2026, putting an end to speculations about a potential move to Mercedes. Despite being linked with a switch to Mercedes over the past year, Toto Wolff considered Verstappen as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton in 2025. Ultimately, Verstappen chose to remain at Red Bull after winning his fourth world title with the team. Despite Red Bull’s performance decline this year, Verstappen reaffirmed his commitment to the team ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, expressing his focus on improving performance and not engaging in contract speculation. Looking ahead, Verstappen believes there is still much to learn and implement from this season, even though the current focus is on finishing behind McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes in the constructors’ championship.
