"We will stay with the team next year for sure," Jos Verstappen tells Sky F1
Friday 4 August 2017 09:57, UK
Max Verstappen will definitely be driving for Red Bull in 2018, his father Jos has confirmed to Sky F1.
The teenager's future has been the subject of intense speculation this season with the Dutchman well off the pace in the championship battle following a series of retirements.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has repeatedly insisted Verstappen's contract with the team is "100 per cent" watertight, and Jos has now guaranteed his son will not be moving.
"We will stay with the team next year for sure," he told Sky F1's Natalie Pinkham.
Reports over the weekend claimed Verstappen had asked to leave Red Bull at the end of next season and was eyeing a drive at Ferrari in 2019.
Verstappen urged to keep faith
But Horner has described that as "propaganda" and revealed the Dutchman will not be available to other teams until 2020 at the earliest - one year later than has generally been reported.
"He has a contract with the team for '19. After '19 he is on the open market," Horner was quoted as saying by ESPN.
Verstappen suffered his fifth retirement in the last seven races in Sunday's Austrian GP after he received terminal damage at the opening corner following contact from Fernando Alonso.
Ahead of the race, the 19-year-old told Sky F1 that Red Bull needed to create a car-engine package that could propel them into title contention.
"We have a contract and I still believe the team can do a good job," he said.
"But the whole package needs to be able to deliver and I think, at the moment, that's not the case.
"You can clearly see we are not the fastest on the straight."
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