Max Verstappen has ended years of speculation about his future by signing a contract extension with Red Bull that runs until at least the end of 2030. The move removes the exit clauses in his previous deal that would have freed the four-time world champion to join another team in 2027, with possible switches to Mercedes and McLaren having been the subject of significant speculation.

Wolff: 'Silly season is officially cancelled'

TotoWolff, who made a very public pursuit of Verstappen after Lewis Hamilton announced he was leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in early as early 2024, insists he is not disappointed by the news. Asked by Sky Sports F1 whether he felt any disappointment about the length of Verstappen’s commitment, Wolff replied: “No, not at all. We know each other well. With Kimi and George, it’s the perfect line-up we have and the perfect set-up, so there is no disappointment.”

The Mercedes boss added: “Most important was we had the clarity in the team for a long time. We’re committed to George and Kimi, and in a way, that was just a logical consequence of what happened now. Silly season is officially cancelled now, and everybody can concentrate on the racing.”

The cooling of Wolff’s interest appears to have been influenced by the staggering form that has put Kimi Antonelli in control of the championship. The Italian, who turned 20 on Tuesday of race week, has outperformed the far more experienced Russell to build an 59-point advantage at the top of the standings after winning five successive races this season.

Rosberg: Max didn't really have options

SkySports F1 pundit and 2016 champion Nico Rosberg welcomed the news. “It’s fantastic news for Formula 1 because Max Verstappen is the greatest driver at the moment, and we want him to stay. He’s a phenomenal driver! He was thinking about taking some time off, or stopping F1 for a while, so that’s great. I don’t think he had any options. He was in talks with McLaren, but I think that was just to strengthen his position at Red Bull. Red Bull is still there for the stability, so you offer him a bit more money — £70 to 80m a year — so let’s land on £80m, which is a lot of money!”

Verstappen’s home weekend at Zandvoort ended in disappointment, however. Arriving in a wave of positivity after signing his extension, he could not complete a lap of the final Dutch Grand Prix before crashing out in front of his home fans. Losing control at the final corner’s banking, his Red Bull slammed into the barrier, slid across the track and came to a halt with a wheel missing.

“This weekend, of course, is disappointing,” Verstappen said. “I think disappointing pace, and a disappointing end to the weekend. I think you can sum it up like that.” Asked how he was feeling after the significant impact, he was clear: “Good. I think I still hit the SAFER barrier maybe, potentially. But I think also a more frontal impact is actually a bit better than a sideways one, so from that sense all okay.”