Max Verstappen will remain under contract with Red Bull until 2020 after a new extension was announced in Austin on Friday.
The Dutchman's future has been subject to speculation after the Milton Keynes outfit fell short of competitive expectations this season and Verstappen in-particular struggling for results due to start crashes and poor reliability.
It is believed both Mercedes and Ferrari were interested in the 20-year-old for 2019 with his previous contract due to expire at the end of that year, however, this single year addition brings Verstappen in line with the desire of Red Bull to secure both their current drivers until the end of the decade.
Commenting on his new contract, Max was pleased to be remaining with the company that has helped propel his career and make him one of Formula 1's biggest names in just a few years.
“Red Bull has always shown their faith and belief in me with actions; inviting me in to the young driver programme as a 16-year-old, giving me my start in F1 when I was just 17 and then the opportunity to race with Red Bull Racing where I had such a dream start with this team,” he explained.
“They have always backed me and my ambition and I know we share that ambition. Their support, from the guys and girls in the factory through to the crew in the garage, no matter what plays out on the race track, has always been 100 percent.
“We’ve also had some fun times! I’m very happy to commit further to Red Bull Racing and I’m looking forward to working together to enjoy more success in the years to come.”
Recently, team boss Christian Horner argued the case for Verstappen to remain with the team, despite the appeal of their fellow top three rivals, claiming together the two could beat a Lewis Hamilton-led Mercedes and a Sebastian Vettel-led Ferrari.
Following the announcement of their continued partnership, the Briton again highlighted that while praising Verstappen for how he has evolved in just a few short years.
“We are delighted that Max has agreed to extend his contract with Red Bull Racing,” he stated. “We had a phenomenal start together in Spain last year and Max has only pushed on from there.
“It was a great moment for the whole team to see him put the frustrations of this season behind him in taking that fantastic victory in Malaysia last month. He is pure racer, with an undeniable talent at the wheel and a rare instinct for what it takes to compete consistently at this level.
“Coupled with a committed work ethic and a mature approach to learning his craft that belies his years, Max is right to be hungry for success and we are looking forward to extending that journey with him in our hunt for F1 championships," Horner added.
“As we now look to the long term with Max he is in the best place in the sport to build a team around him to deliver our shared ambition.”
What is unknown is what this means for the future of teammate Daniel Ricciardo who is out of contract at the end of next season and could well now be the most attractive option for the other top teams.
