Max Verstappen has shut down speculation linking him with a sensational move to Mercedes, insisting that much of the talk about his Formula 1 future is simply people trying to “create drama.” For weeks,

Rumors continued to simmer until two days ago, when Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko confirmed his expectation that Verstappen would be back in 2026. ESPN's Nate Saunders reported an exit clause in Verstappen's contract came and went, too, making it more likely he'd stay put.

His poor qualifying wasn’t a surprise either, as Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was eliminated in Q1 and Verstappen did not finish a practice session above ninth in Budapest. “We were a lot more competitive back then,