"Okay, yes!" Verstappen confirms he will drive for Red Bull in 2025

Well sort of. It took some persuading by reporters to get Verstappen to admit he is not departing the Red Bull Racing despite speculation that with the Christian Horner 'sexting' scandal, Adrian Newey's departure and a period of intense disarray in the team this season.

While on track the gap they enjoyed over their rivals last year is no longer. McLaren have closed it, so have Mercedes it seems and maybe Ferrari. But with Verstappen, Red Bull are still winning. And in the end that's what matters.

Notably, Jos Verstappen was in the Red Bull garage today chatting with Max and his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. Suggesting the tensions between him and Horner are resolved, or a white flag has been waved for their home Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring. After all Jos told the world that "Red Bull will explode" and team principal Horner had to be axed.

But it appears there's been a lot of water under the bridge since then. The topic of Verstappen's future beyond 2025 was tackled during the FIA-hosted F1 drivers' press conference today at Red Bull Ring which the triple F1 World Champion attended.

When asked about the Horner versus Wolff tete-a-tete over his services, Verstappen told reporters in Austria: "I've said this before. Of course, people are talking but it's most important just that we have a very competitive car for the future.

"At the moment, of course, it's very tight, but we are working very well as a team to try and improve more. And for sure, I said this already with the team, we are working and focusing also on next year to try and be competitive again.," added Verstappen, seemingly dodging the question.

Asked if he would leave Red Bull if they dropped the ball in the near future, Verstappen replied: "I don't think that's how Formula 1 works, where then suddenly you can say, ‘well, bye, guys’. It's not how it works. I have a long contract with the team. I'm very happy where I'm at.

"As I said before, we are focusing also already on next year with things that we can implement on the car. So I guess that should say enough of where I'm driving next year," insisted Verstappen, who is contracted to drive for Red Bull until the end of 2028.

Red Bull welcome new partner Ford back to F1 in 2026, thus it was smart to ask Verstappen how involved he is in the integration of their new partner, the Dutchman replied: "I'm not the one designing the engine, but I find it incredibly important to know the basics, basically, and see where the project is headed."

Mercedes are taking their time to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton. Big shoes they need filling and, arguably, only Verstappen capable of fully doing that from the moment he drives for them.

Despite high-profile technical departures from Red Bull, Verstappen remains bullish: "The team has hired a lot of good people. And honestly, the only thing that I can say about it is that everyone is pushing flat out to try and make it the fastest engine possible. And I like to be involved with the discussions. It's a very exciting project for the whole team.

"I do not doubt that everyone is trying their very best. And we have to wait and see, of course, how everything will be. But from what I can see at the factory, when I've been around, they have all the tools that they need to have to make it a success. And hopefully, of course, it will be."

Notably, up to this point in the press conference, no answer yet to the simple question which poipped up again courtesy of Ben Hunt: "Will you drive for Red Bull next year, please?"

Verstappen finally replied: "You didn't get that out of my answer before? Okay, yes. But that's what I said. I mean, we're already also working on next year's car, you know. Yeah, I think when you're very focused on that, that means you're also driving for the team."

A simple: I will be a Red Bull driver next year would've sufficed for an answer he complicated. No surprise then if the speculation persists, especially if Mercedes (for argument's sake) start beating Red Bull on a regular basis... Watch this space!