Sport | F1 Max Verstappen has committed his long-term future to Red Bull as he bids to draw a line under the infighting which has overshadowed the team’s winning start to the
Formula One season. The three-time world champion had warned at the previous race in
Saudi Arabia that he could walk away from the team if motorsport consultant Helmut Marko was removed from his post. But speaking in the build-up to Sunday’s
Australian Grand Prix , he now said he planned to see out his current contract with Red Bull, which runs until the end of 2028. Verstappen, who is bidding for a record 10th consecutive grand prix victory, said: “I don’t know what will happen after 2028, if I will stay in F1 or continue or sign a new deal. “But that is why I signed the deal in the first place. I am happy within the team and it is my intention to be here in the end.” Rumours had been circulating that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was plotting a move to lure Verstappen across the grid with the team set to have a vacant seat for next season with
Lewis Hamilton ’s departure. Of that interest, Verstappen said: “It is always nice to hear that. Toto and I have had our moments. That is normal between two teams battling for the championship but the respect has always been there. From my side, it doesn’t change anything [over his current position].” Marko had warned publicly in Jeddah that he might be suspended from his post amid the fallout from the investigation into team principal Christian Horner after allegations of inappropriate behaviour by a female colleague. Horner has denied any wrongdoing and was cleared after an external lawyer was employed by Red Bull Austria but relations remain strained between him, Marko and Verstappen’s father, Jos. It has also been reported that the staff member has appealed the verdict . The younger Verstappen has reverted to playing the role of a peacekeeper of sorts in Melbourne. F1 2024 World Championship standings: Latest Drivers' and Constructors' tables Australian Grand Prix 2024: Start time, schedule, weather and how to watch Mohammed Ben Sulayem cleared of interfering in Formula One races Make your next trip to the West End a celebration of
Women in culture He said: “It is very important we try to keep the key players in the team for a longer period of time because that is where the performance is and, if I didn’t perform, I wouldn’t be sitting here. “For me, it is a second family. In a family, there might sometimes be disagreements. A lot of people have contributed to the success of this team from the start and that has to be respected. It is important to keep them together, happy and in the same roles. “But we just focus on the performance. I would like the chat to be about the great car that we have. Hopefully that will come slowly.” Horner’s accuser has also filed a complaint to the FIA’s ethics committee over the whole saga but Verstappen said he was confident everything was “handled in the right way”. The build-up and start to the 2024 season has not been without drama and shows few signs of diminishing. Susie Wolff , head of the all-female F1 Academy series and wife of Mercedes team principal, revealed on Wednesday that she had filed a criminal complaint in the French courts against FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem. It comes after the FIA said it had launched an inquiry into a magazine’s claims rivals believed her relationship with her husband equated to a conflict of interest. The investigation was ended within 48 hours. In a statement, she said: “There has still not been any transparency or accountability in relation to the conduct of the FIA and its personnel on this matter. “I feel more than ever it is important to stand up, call out improper behaviour and make sure people are held to account. While some may think silence absolves them from responsibility, it does not.” Wolff received the immediate backing of Hamilton, who said: “Hopefully this stand that she’s taking now will create change, will have a positive impact and, especially for women, it is still a male-dominated sport, and we’re living in a time where the message is, if you file a complaint, you will be fired.” MORE ABOUT Have your say...