Max Verstappen Downplays Move Away From Red Bull: 'I Think There’s Every Reason To Be Happy, Right?'

This season Formula 1 has been more dramatic off the track than on it (at least at the front of the field, I still contend there's some great action down the order).

One of the biggest bits of drama has come from the persistent rumors that turmoil at Red Bull could cause three-time champion Max Verstappen to see what other options are out there well before his contract ends after the 2028 season.

This comes as team boss Christian Horner finds himself at the center of controversy concerning allegations of inappropriate behavior and there are rumblings that there are power struggles among some of the team's top brass.

So… time for a change?

Well, at least publicly, and for the time being, Verstappen doesn't seem too interested in finding employment outside of Red Bull.

"I think there’s every reason to be happy, right?" Verstappen said ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in response to a question about teammate Sergio Perez's comment that it would be a "blow to the team" if he split. "The car’s going really well, there’s so many great people in the team that are constantly pushing for better results, so for me that’s what I focus on."

Red Bull's Max Verstappen downplayed the idea that he might want to make a switch amid some turmoil at the team. (Getty Images)

He's not kidding so far this season — especially on race day (which is normally Sunday, but was on Saturdays the first two weekends) — the RB20 has looked like it's racing in a different formula than some of the other cars on the grid.

Verstappen also mentioned that, as it stands, the way he's operating within the team is just how he likes it.

"I focus on the performance, I’m happy, and when I go home, I don’t think about any other thing because it’s pretty fixed where I’m at also, and that’s also where I want to be," he said.

So, it sounds like everything's good for him. The car is good, he's happy, and it looks like it's his championship to lose in 2024. Why move?

Well, we'll see how it all shakes out. The driver market for 2025 has already been wild, so we never know what is going to happen.