Juan Pablo Montoya has claimed that Red Bull offered Max Verstappen an additional €30 million in an attempt to remove the exit clauses from his current Formula 1 contract, only for the four-time world champion’s camp to demand twice that amount. The reported negotiations underline how determined Red Bull is to secure Max Verstappen’s long-term commitment amid continuing uncertainty over his future.
Max Verstappen remains contracted to the Milton Keynes team until the end of 2028, but performance-related clauses in his agreement could potentially allow him to leave earlier. Red Bull has therefore been trying for several weeks to establish the Dutch driver’s intentions and prevent a scenario in which he decides to activate those escape routes.
Montoya claims Red Bull offered Max Verstappen €30m over exit clauses
A meeting between Max Verstappen, his management and senior Red Bull figures reportedly took place before the Austrian Grand Prix, but did not produce meaningful progress.
According to further reports, Mark Mateschitz was increasingly frustrated by the uncertainty surrounding Max Verstappen’s future and was prepared to take a much harder line. Red Bull chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff, by contrast, is believed to favour a more patient and less impulsive approach.
Juan Pablo Montoya has now offered his own account of the discussions.
“From what I heard, before the Austrian Grand Prix Red Bull and Max met and they told him that they wanted to remove the clauses that allow Max Verstappen to leave,” Juan Pablo Montoya told Betpack.
“Red Bull offered Max Verstappen 30 million on top of his 50 million contract, but Max and his entourage replied that they want twice as much.”
The sums involved would underline the importance Red Bull places on retaining its star driver. Max Verstappen has won four World Championships with the team and remains the central figure around whom its sporting project has been built.
Max Verstappen must decide whether Red Bull remains his best option
Money, however, may not be the only factor influencing Max Verstappen’s decision. Red Bull has struggled to provide him with a consistent championship-winning car during the 2026 season, leaving him well behind the leaders in the Formula 1 driver standings.
The possibility of a move elsewhere has consequently remained one of the major talking points of the season. Mercedes continues to be mentioned as a potential destination, with recent Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff holiday photos adding further fuel to speculation surrounding the Dutchman’s future.
Juan Pablo Montoya nevertheless believes Max Verstappen must consider whether leaving Red Bull would really improve his situation.
“I think Max Verstappen might also decide that the grass is not always greener on the other side,” Juan Pablo Montoya continued.
“Does he really want to go to Mercedes and challenge Kimi Antonelli, who is Toto Wolff’s protégé? Or go to McLaren and fight Lando Norris, who is Zak Brown’s ‘godson’ and golf partner? At Red Bull, Max Verstappen is the undisputed king and can do whatever he wants.”
Red Bull offers Verstappen something rivals cannot guarantee
Juan Pablo Montoya’s argument highlights one of the most important elements of Max Verstappen’s decision. At Red Bull, the four-time world champion already occupies an unquestioned position at the centre of the team.
A move to Mercedes would potentially place him alongside Kimi Antonelli, the young driver around whom Toto Wolff has invested heavily. McLaren would present a different challenge, with Lando Norris already deeply established within the Woking organisation and enjoying a strong relationship with Zak Brown.
Red Bull may not currently possess the fastest car, but Max Verstappen knows the environment, the engineers and the organisation that helped him become a multiple world champion. Any move elsewhere would involve abandoning that certainty in exchange for the possibility of stronger machinery.
That is why his future cannot simply be reduced to the size of Red Bull’s reported financial offer. Max Verstappen must ultimately decide whether he still believes the Milton Keynes team can return him to regular victories and another championship fight.
For Red Bull, the objective is clear: remove as much uncertainty as possible and secure the driver who remains fundamental to its Formula 1 project. Whether even an enormous financial proposal will be enough to convince Max Verstappen to surrender his contractual escape routes remains unresolved.
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