AUSTIN, Texas – Red Bull Racing announced Friday morning that Max Verstappen has signed a multi-year contract extension, keeping him with the team through the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship season.
Verstappen has had incredible success already with Red Bull, rewriting the record books by becoming the youngest race winner in F1 history, after he triumphed at the Spanish Grand Prix last year in his debut with the team.
Now the 20-year-old hopes to build on his time with the team over the course of his next three years in the sport.
“Red Bull has always shown their faith and belief in me with actions; inviting me in to the young driver program as a 16-year-old, then giving me my start in Formula One 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,” said Verstappen. “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 had many fun times already. 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.”
This season, Verstappen scored his second-career win with a dominant performance in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The young Belgian sits sixth in the driver’s championship, having earned 111 championship points on the strength of a win, three podium, eight top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 16 races.
“We are delighted that Max has agreed to extend his contract with Red Bull Racing. We had a phenomenal start together in Spain last year and Max has only pushed on from there,” said team principal Christian Horner. “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 Formula One World Championships. 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.”
Red Bull Racing contributed material to this story.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
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