Karun Chandhok "surprised" by length of Max Verstappen's Red Bull contract

Max Verstappen has signed a contract extension with Red Bull Racing that will keep him with the team until 2030. The news ends speculation about his future, which had included rumors of a possible move to McLaren or Mercedes, or even retirement from the sport. According to Karun Chandhok, a former Formula 1 driver, Verstappen's decision shows he believes in the long-term potential of Red Bull's in-house power unit programme.

Verstappen, a four-time Formula 1 champion, had been rumored to be contemplating a move away from Red Bull, but he dismissed reports of talks with other teams. "I was closer to quitting than changing teams," he said, according to BBC Sport. He expressed his excitement to continue working with Red Bull, saying "We have the best people and I'm excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again."

The contract extension is a significant boost for Red Bull, with team principal Laurent Mekies saying "Having Max continue with us and retaining the best driver on the grid is fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull." Verstappen is currently sixth in the drivers' championship, with Red Bull fielding the fourth-fastest car this season, according to Motorsport.com.

Brief written by urgent.news from Motorsport.com, BBC Sport, DutchNews, SB Nation, Yahoo Sports — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.