Verstappen focused on performances amid Red Bull exit rumours

Max Verstappen is focused purely on his Formula One world championship title defence, amid suggestions Red Bull's struggles could cause him to leave the team.

Verstappen is the only non-McLaren driver to win a race in 2025, but he trails both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the drivers' championship standings.

The Dutchman suffered from overheating and braking issues at last week's Bahrain Grand Prix, and though an impressive drive saw him salvage P6, he was some 34 seconds slower than race winner Piastri.

Red Bull's early-season struggles have done little to quieten rumours around Verstappen's future, especially with team advisor Helmut Marko confirming performance clauses in his contract could allow him to cut ties before his deal expires in 2028.

But upon arriving in Jeddah for this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen said he was ignoring talk about his long-term future.

"A lot of people are talking about it except me," Verstappen told reporters on Thursday.

"Like I said before, I just want to focus on my car, work with the people in the team. That is the only thing I am thinking about in Formula One at the moment. I am very relaxed.

"You focus on commentating, I'll focus on driving, and we don't need to worry about any other scenarios."

Sunset arrivals just hit different #F1 || #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/3WqhCDr44x

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) April 17, 2025

Verstappen has scored 3,092.5 points in total throughout his F1 career, and he could become the driver with the second-most in the sport's history this weekend.

Six more points will see him surpass Sebastian Vettel (3,098), though Lewis Hamilton remains some way clear in first with 4,887.5.

Verstappen is the only driver with multiple victories at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (in 2022 and 2024), and the only driver to have finished on the podium in each of the four races held in Jeddah.