When a manager has to publicly insist, for what feels like the hundredth time, that his client is not leaving, you have to wonder who exactly he is trying to convince. Raymond Vermeulen, Max Verstappen‘s manager, has stepped in again to douse the flames of transfer speculation, and the message is familiar: Max is going nowhere.
The Official Line
Speaking to Austrian outlet OE24, Vermeulen was direct about Verstappen’s intentions regarding his contract at Red Bull, which runs through to 2028.
“There’s a lot being written about it. But the truth is, Max wants to finish his time with Red Bull. He has a contract until 2028 and would like to fulfil it.” – Raymond Vermeulen
He also addressed the exit clause specifically, noting that having the option to leave is not the same as choosing to use it.
“The fact that this clause exists doesn’t mean we’ll activate it. We could have activated it in recent years as well, and we haven’t.” – Raymond Vermeulen
Context That Makes This Complicated
Verstappen currently sits seventh in the drivers’ championship, a position that reportedly makes the exit clause operable. His rotating rear wing has failed two consecutive race weekends, costing him dearly in Silverstone and leaving him seething in the gravel. The frustration is real, and the structural chaos at Red Bull is not exactly helping morale.
Then came the Amsterdam meeting. Vermeulen and Jos Verstappen were photographed with former Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko at a hotel terrace, which predictably sent the rumour mill into overdrive. Vermeulen’s explanation was suitably mundane.
“That was a private meeting that had been arranged long ago. Also, Max’s sister got married.” – Raymond Vermeulen
That matches Helmut Marko’s own account of the Amsterdam summit, for what it is worth.
Reasons to Be Optimistic, Apparently
Vermeulen did not spend the entire interview on damage control. He suggested that race victories are still realistic this season, pointing to Budapest and Zandvoort as the most likely opportunities. Spa, he conceded, is probably not the circuit to expect a breakthrough. He also noted that Red Bull’s power unit has performed better than originally feared, which is a low bar, but a bar nonetheless.
The Awkward Truth
Vermeulen is saying all the right things, and he may well mean every word. But the speculation about a Verstappen move to McLaren will not die simply because his manager asks it to. Results are the only thing that will silence this noise, and Red Bull have not been delivering them.
