Max Verstappen (Image credit: Max Verstappen/Instagram)Max Verstappen has ended months of speculation about his Formula 1 future by signing a new Red Bull contract until the end of 2030. The four-time world champion was previously contracted until 2028. However, clauses in his deal could have allowed him to leave after this season. Verstappen had been linked with moves to Mercedes and McLaren.The 28-year-old Dutchman has now decided to continue with Red Bull. The announcement comes before his final home race at Zandvoort this weekend. Verstappen has spent his entire F1 career with the Red Bull family. He has won four world titles and 71 Grands Prix with the team.Max Verstappen commits future to Red Bull till 2030Max Verstappen said he is excited to continue working with Red Bull despite the team’s difficult start to the new F1 regulations era.“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 have always said it: the team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home”, said Verstappen in a statement.Red Bull has struggled since the new car and engine regulations came into effect this season. Verstappen’s best results so far have been second-place finishes in Austria and Hungary.The team’s lack of pace had raised questions over whether Verstappen would remain. He had also expressed frustration with the situation on several occasions. However, the Dutchman has chosen to stay.“I came to the team hoping to be able to win races. What we went on to achieve together has been simply lovely and we have shared many incredible moments and won four World Championships. To continue this journey with the same team that I have been with my whole career is really special and something I have always wanted to do”, he added.His decision comes despite his long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase being set to join McLaren by 2028. Lambiase has been one of the most important figures in Verstappen’s career.Laurent Mekies happy to continue with Max Verstappen till 2030 Max Verstappen also praised Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies. Mekies replaced Christian Horner last July after Horner was removed from his position following a difficult period for the team.Mekies welcomed the new deal and described Verstappen as the best driver on the grid.“Having Max continue with us and retaining the best driver on the grid is fantastic news. Very few partnerships in sport achieve what Max and this team have. Since the very beginning, Max has embodied everything that makes Red Bull Racing special: uncompromising competitiveness, relentless determination and the courage to challenge convention”, he said.Verstappen joined Red Bull’s junior team in 2015. He moved to the main Red Bull team in 2016 and won his first race immediately.He has since become one of F1’s most successful drivers. His 71 victories put him third on the all-time list behind Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.The new contract keeps Verstappen at Red Bull until 2030, although performance-related mechanisms could still allow an earlier exit. The exact details have not been made public.