Max Verstappen has confirmed he has held “very constructive conversations” with Mercedes previously, but he remains “very loyal” to Red Bull.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has been open in 2024 about trying to bring the reigning World Champion to the team in future, saying in the summer that the Silver Arrows could be a “quite attractive” option when the sport’s regulations change in 2026.

Max Verstappen on ‘very constructive conversations’ with Mercedes amid Red Bull loyalty

Verstappen signed a massive seven-year contract extension with Red Bull to take his stay with the team until the end of 2028, after winning his first World Championship back in 2021.

His future has been the subject of much debate in 2024, however, given his team’s fall-off in pace compared to their front-running rivals – though that did not stop the Dutch driver from claiming a fourth consecutive Drivers’ title.

But while acknowledging talks with Mercedes in times gone by, he also emphasised his loyalty to Red Bull in the coming years.

“The big teams are always interesting, but on the other hand, I’m also in a very big team,” Verstappen explained to Dutch broadcaster Viaplay when asked if Wolff had not interested him enough to move to Mercedes.

“I’ve achieved a lot of success with them, it also just feels like a second family.

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“Look, of course we always talk to each other, and I don’t lie about the fact that we’ve sat together. We had very constructive conversations, I think everyone has always been very honest and open with each other.

“But on the other hand, I am also very loyal to my own team, and I just feel at home there. So, then there is actually not much to achieve at the moment. I am still very young, so a lot can still happen in the future.”

Verstappen’s lengthy contract is one of the longest ever handed out in Formula 1, and he has spoken openly about the future beyond the sport with his goals in endurance racing, owning his own team and more.

But while his long-term future is decided in Formula 1, he does not foresee a scenario in which he changes his team for the time being.

“If you look at Formula 1, it doesn’t happen very often that someone gets out of their contract,” the four-time World Champion said.

“It’s not like in football, where you sign for five years and leave a year later – and that’s not really the intention.

“You never know what can happen next year or in two years, but you can’t control that either, so I don’t really think about it that much.

“Look, I’m very happy with where I am. We’ve won another championship. Of course, improvements need to be made with the car, but I think that’s very logical. So, I feel good with the team, I can be myself.

“Everyone is also working flat out to always give me the best material. In that respect, I have nothing to complain about.”

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