Max Verstappen has affirmed his commitment to staying with Red Bull Racing until the end of his current contract in 2028, dismissing recent speculation linking him to rival teams like Mercedes or Aston Martin.

"It's clearly the intention" that he remains with Red Bull, Verstappen told AFP in Mexico, putting to rest rumours that he was considering an early exit.

The rumour mill had been spinning again, especially after Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko hinted this week that Oscar Piastri's manager, Mark Webber, was seeking discussions with Red Bull. "There's a lot of hype going on," Marko remarked to Kleine Zeitung, referring to the competitive atmosphere between Red Bull and McLaren.

But Marko quickly played down the idea of Piastri switching teams, noting that his conversations with Webber were casual. "Mark Webber is simply back at the track more often now and we like to talk about old times," he explained, confirming that he thinks Piastri's McLaren contract still has two more years to run.

As for Verstappen, the triple world champion was clear about his commitment to Red Bull despite acknowledging some recent challenges. "It's true that we had some difficult moments, but I was more focused on trying to improve performance," he said, pointing to how rival teams have closed the gap this season. "The other teams have caught up. They did a very good job and understood their car."

Verstappen reflected on Red Bull's journey since their dominant performance last year, acknowledging that while improvements were made, they haven't yet mastered every aspect. "We had a very good year last year, then we tried to improve the car, which we managed to do, but not in all areas.

"That's something we have to try to sort out for next year," he added.

Despite the challenges, Verstappen remains optimistic about Red Bull's future. "For me, nothing has changed," he insisted. "I'm here, I want to perform well, I want to win and we want to get back to the top together."

He reiterated his desire to return to the winner's circle as soon as possible: "We want to win races again, which is something that hasn't happened for a long time."

When asked about the rumours regarding exit clauses in his contract, Verstappen firmly stated, "I have signed a long-term contract with the team and, in a perfect world, I will end up here."

For the Dutchman, his public commitment to Red Bull remains unwavering: "For me, the situation has never changed since I signed my contract."