Aug. 20 (UPI) — Max Verstappen halted speculation about a potential split with Oracle Red Bull Racing by signing an extension, the Formula 1 star announced Thursday.

Verstappen, who was under contract through, is now tied to the team through 2030. The four-time Formula 1 world champion joined Red Bull’s driver program in 2014. He was just 16 years old.

“I am really pleased with the contract extension,” Verstappen said in a news release. “We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again. This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue.

“I want to thank Red Bull, [team principal] Laurent Mekies and everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing for the trust they put in me.”

Verstappen, 28, sits at the No. 6 spot in the 2026 drivers’ standings, 110 points behind first-place Kimi Antonelli. He finished second last season, snapping his run of four consecutive titles. Verstappen failed to earn a victory through the first 11 races this season. He won eight times in 2025, including the last three races of the season.

“Having Max continue with us and retaining the best driver on the grid is fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull, Oracle Red Bull Racing, as well as F1 and motorsport as a whole,” Mekies said.

The Formula 1 season will continue with Verstappen’s home race, the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix. The event will be held at 9 a.m. EDT Sunday at Mascot Circuit Zandvoort in Zandvoort, Netherlands.