According to a leading executive at the Red Bull drinks company, Max Verstappen has not "said a word" about desiring to depart from the formidable Formula 1 team of the renowned energy drink brand.
Oliver Mintzlaff, a key figure appointed following the demise of founder Dietrich Mateschitz, criticized Mercedes chief Toto Wolff during a rare visit to the F1 paddock for his "inappropriate" attempts to poach the triple world champion.
Responding to inquiries about his concerns over losing the Dutch racer, Mintzlaff told Bild am Sonntag at the Miami GP, "No. He is a thoroughbred racer and wants to win every race, every qualifying session and every practice session."
"That is what ties us together. It is in his and our DNA, and he has found the perfection conditions with us. We have created a unique setup and built the best car in Formula 1."
Verstappen, under contract until 2028, might have multiple escape clauses, yet Mintzlaff remarked, "Max still has a long-term contract here," and added, "and he hasn't said a word about not wanting to fulfil it. I'm not even remotely worried that he's considering a move."
"Things just need to calm down again," the German stated amidst the ongoing leadership power struggles, which notably influenced Adrian Newey's departure.
"Max wants it to calm down too, and we do we. That's what you need if you want to be successful in sport in the long term, whether it's football or Formula 1."
In Miami, Verstappen expressed his irritation at the prospect of racing in the middle ranks with Mercedes and denied any temptation by additional financial incentives.
"No," Mintzlaff responded when questioned if Verstappen had alternative motivations for a potential switch to Mercedes. "At least I can't think of any."
"Max wants the fastest car - we have that. Max wants to be world champion - with us he has the best chance. And Max is also a loyal guy."
"He knows that Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have always put their trust in him. He appreciates that. Red Bull is also simply a great brand that he can really identify with."
"So there are many reasons for staying, and none against it," he concluded.
Although there's speculation about Verstappen's deep loyalty to mentor Dr Helmut Marko, whom Toto Wolff hinted could join Max at Mercedes, Mintzlaff firmly stated, "I think that's out of the question. Helmut is closely connected to Red Bull and we have a lot to thank him for. He also had the courage to entrust Max with a Formula 1 cockpit at the age of 17."
Indeed, the controversy around team leader Christian Horner appears to be subsiding.
When asked about Red Bull's continued success under Horner's leadership, Mintzlaff confirmed, "I am convinced of that. He only has the team's success in mind and is a very good CEO."
Despite concerns over the competitiveness of Red Bull's upcoming in-house Formula 1 engine developed with Ford, Mintzlaff remained optimistic, stating, "We want to continue in 2026 where we are now - at the top of Formula 1," and added, "Of course there is no guarantee, but while we have proven that we can handle major rule changes, other teams have not managed to close the gap to us for three years."
"Max will have noticed that too and it makes me look to the future with total optimism. We have been preparing for 2026 for a long time, and while building our own engine is a big task and challenge, we are confident that we can master it."
"This is the next stage of Red Bull's development." body check tags ::
