Max Verstappen fans will be pleased to learn the reigning world champion won’t be leaving Formula One anytime soon.
Red Bull Racing announced on Thursday that Verstappen will continue driving with the team through 2028, at which point he will be 30 years old.
Verstappen’s current contract with Red Bull runs through 2023, though he’s now signed a new contract covering the next five years. The new contract is the longest in F1 history.
Crucially, it means Verstappen will still be with the squad after the arrival of a new power unit design in 2026, which Red Bull will develop internally, via its new Red Bull Powertrains division. With the contract in place, both Verstappen and the team can fully focus on making the new power unit a success.
“I really enjoy being part of the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team, so choosing to stay to the 2028 season was an easy decision,” Verstappen said in a statement.
The Dutch driver joined Red Bull in 2016, after starting his F1 career one year prior with Red Bull feeder team Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri). Since then the team has effectively molded itself around him, which culminated with the winning of the 2021 Drivers’ title, albeit controversially.