Verstappen will drive for Red Bull in 2026, assures Marko

Four-time Formula One drivers' champion Max Verstappen will stay with Red Bull for at least one more season, insists the team's advisor Helmut Marko.

Verstappen dominated the grid for three years after pipping Lewis Hamilton for his first world championship in 2021, sending a series of records tumbling.

The Dutchman led the drivers' championship standings for 63 consecutive grands prix between the Spanish Grand Prix in 2022 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2024.

That is the longest run in F1 history, while he also holds the record for the most consecutive wins, triumphing in 10 straight races between Miami and Italy in 2023.

His 19 victories in 22 races in 2023 are the most by any driver in a single season, while his 15 wins in 2022 are also the second-most in any F1 campaign.

However, Verstappen's future with Red Bull has been thrown into doubt in recent months, with the team unable to provide him with a championship-worthy car in 2025.

He sits a distant third in the drivers' championship standings behind McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, while Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' table.

Mercedes have been strongly linked with a move for Verstappen, with Red Bull's tumultuous year also seeing the dismissal of long-serving team principal Christian Horner during the mid-season break.

Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until 2028 but has clauses allowing him to leave early, though Marko is confident he will stay for the first season under new regulations in 2026.

"Yes, I can confirm that Max Verstappen will drive for Red Bull in 2026," Marko told German outlet Sport.De on Tuesday.

Eyes onto the next Race #F1 || #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/Zrk80GgXkX
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) July 27, 2025

Verstappen finished fourth at the Belgian Grand Prix last Sunday, having claimed the 12th sprint race win of his career the previous day.

The F1 season continues with the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, with Verstappen hoping to end a run of six races without a podium finish.

It is his worst such streak since another run of six races between Brazil 2017 and Azerbaijan 2018. The last time he went seven races without a podium finish was earlier in 2017, between Bahrain and Singapore (12).

Sunday's race will be Verstappen's 200th with Red Bull, with Hamilton (246 with Mercedes) the only other driver to record at least 200 outings with the same team in F1 history.