Verstappen discusses Red Bull contract and McLaren talks in interview

Max VerstappenMax VerstappenRed Bull · Netherlands · Driver6th POS127 PTS has discussed his new contract at Red BullRed Bull RacingAustria4th POS204 PTS and addressed the subject of McLarenMcLarenUnited Kingdom3rd POS287 PTS talks in an interview released on 9 September 2026. The conversation is also said to cover the way he describes the current cars and his position within the Red Bull team.

2026

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POS

6th

PTS

127

WINS

0

PODIUMS

5

Season 2026

What the interview covers

The interview brings together three subjects. Verstappen is reported to have talked about a new contract with Red Bull, to have dealt in some way with McLaren, and to have used the phrases 'numb' and 'captain of the ship' when talking about cars and his role. No detail has been published about the context of those phrases. What links the three subjects is Verstappen's place in Formula 1Formula 1 World ChampionshipInternational, both now and in the seasons ahead.

Of the three, the Red Bull contract is the most straightforward topic. The interview is described as covering a new deal, but not even the basics are known. Whether the contract has been signed, when it starts, how long it lasts and what it is worth have not been disclosed. The existence of the interview is not evidence that an agreement has been completed.

What is not yet known

Wastrick · CC BY-SA 4.0

The biggest ambiguity is the meaning of 'McLaren talks'. It is unclear who the talks are between, what they concern and where they stand. The reference may simply be to something discussed in the interview rather than to negotiations involving Verstappen. Until the surrounding detail emerges, the mention should not be read as confirmation of any driver move.

The other two phrases are equally short of explanation. A car that feels 'numb' could point to a lack of steering feedback or a broader comment on how the current machinery drives, but the interview's published content does not say. Being 'captain of the ship' is a strong image, yet the question that produced it is not known.

Why it matters

Original image: Stefan Brending · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

The interview matters because it puts the name of another team next to Verstappen's contract in one conversation. That tends to be read as significant in Formula 1 even when no answers are attached. On what has been released, the interview identifies subjects rather than resolves them.

What happens next depends on whether more of Verstappen's comments are made public and on whether Red Bull or McLaren respond. Until that happens, the state of the contract and the meaning of the McLaren reference remain open questions.