Max Verstappen has given his support to Red Bull’s decision to extend team-mate Sergio Perez’s Formula 1 contract through 2026, branding the renewal “great news”.
Perez’s arrival in 2021 coincided with Red Bull returning to being true championship challengers and it has dominated since F1 reverted to ground effect cars in 2022.
Verstappen has been open about his desire to see Red Bull’s setup remain unchanged amid the tension that derived from the earlier probe into boss Christian Horner.
With Verstappen tied down until 2028, the Mexican’s deal ensures that the Austrian squad should field an unchanged driver line-up going into F1’s rules reset in 2026.
The Dutchman has expressed that he is pleased Perez will remain alongside him across the upcoming seasons as he strives to add to his current three Drivers’ titles.
“It’s great news that Checo has signed with the team until 2026 and I am glad to be able to continue with the successful partnership that we have created over the past few years,” Verstappen stated.
“We achieved a record-breaking season last year and the team is very strong, so we are looking forward to building on this success into the next two years as well.”
Verstappen enters the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend bidding to rebound from a challenging weekend in Monaco last time out that saw him slump to sixth place.
Red Bull’s troubles derived from its RB20 car struggling to absorb bumps and kerbs, a problem that Verstappen argued was a long-standing one that’s been exposed.
Verstappen, who holds a 31-point advantage over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, revealed he’s worked with the team during the break as it endeavours to resolve its issues.
“Following a more difficult weekend in Monaco, this week I have been with the team back at the factory and in the sim preparing for the Canadian Grand Prix,” he said.
“The track is very unique, has some old-school kerbs and there are plenty opportunities for overtaking.
“It’s even more important to have a good set up of the car and find a balance between the straight line speeds as well as good stability under the braking.”
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