Max Verstappen has downplayed speculation about his future with Red Bull Racing, confirming talks with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff earlier this year but reiterating his loyalty to his current team.
In an end-of-year interview with Viaplay, Verstappen was reminded of his earlier comment that "Toto (Wolff) has been very nice lately." The remark came as Mercedes explored its options for replacing Lewis Hamilton, with Wolff reportedly keen to lure Verstappen away from Red Bull.
"I understand Toto," Verstappen smiled. "You always want the fastest driver in your car, don't you?
"A lot was going on for them too, because they had to make a choice for the new driver," he added. "And the big teams are always interesting.
"On the other hand, I'm already in a very big team. We've achieved a lot of successes together, and it also feels like a second family. So these are considerations that you can't make very quickly or lightly.
"It's not like you wake up one day and say 'Yes, next year, it's over,'" Verstappen continued. "I'm not someone who shoots from left to right very quickly anyway. You have to think very carefully about whether you want to do this."
Verstappen admitted to having discussions with Wolff, calling them open and constructive.
"You always talk to each other, and I'm not lying that we sat down together," he said. "I think we had very constructive conversations. I think everyone has always been very open and honest with each other, but on the other hand I'm also very loyal to my own team. I just feel at home there, so there's not much to gain at the moment."
Verstappen's contract with Red Bull runs until 2028, and at 27, he emphasised that he still has time on his side.
"I'm still very young, so a lot can still happen in the future," he said. "But for me it's not just about Formula 1. I always want to do a lot of things after F1, so who are the right partners for that? These are things that I think about, but I do not have to make a decision yet."
Reflecting on the challenges of 2024, Verstappen acknowledged the turmoil within Red Bull following the Christian Horner scandal and internal management tensions.
"There was a lot going on behind the scenes," Verstappen admitted. "I see more than most people can see, of course, even if you don't have to say everything in the media.
"It's much more important that we get along behind the scenes. There were a lot of accusations back and forth."
Verstappen reiterated that a key moment in Red Bull's internal struggles was the threat to long-time mentor Dr Helmut Marko. At the time, Verstappen warned he would leave if Marko was pushed out.
"I don't think we would have reached that point, because I made it clear how I felt about it," Verstappen said. "He stayed, and in the end I think we managed to build a very strong bond with the whole team, and with Christian.
"In the end, what matters is that you resolve it together, and not in the media. And that worked. My father and Christian too. You have to talk about it together, and that's what they did."
As for ongoing speculation that Verstappen could activate his exit clause after 2025, particularly for the upcoming period under all-new F1 regulations, Verstappen dismissed the idea.
"In Formula 1, you don't see very often that someone gets out of their contract," he said. "It's not like in football, where you sign for five years and leave a year later. And that's not my intention, either.
"But you never know what can happen next year, or in two years. I can't control that. Of course, improvements need to be made with the car, but I think that is very logical.
"And I feel very good with the team. I can be myself here, so in that respect I have nothing to complain about."
