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Paris (AFP) – The current Dutch world champion Max Verstappen has extended his contract with his team Red Bull until 2028, the Austrian club announced Thursday.
Red Bull said in a statement that Verstappen, whose contract was supposed to expire at the end of 2023, “has extended his contract for a long-term, which will keep the 24-year-old Dutch driver exclusively with Red Bull Racing until the end of 2028.”
For his part, “Mad Max” wrote on his Twitter page, “I am very proud to announce that Red Bull will be my home until, at least, 2028.”
“I love this team and last year was great, and our goal since we got together in 2016 is to win the championship and we did it, so now it’s regarding keeping the number one on the car.”
“I am very happy to continue this wonderful adventure for a long time. We have achieved many things together, but we are certainly not finished yet.”
Team Principal Christian Horner described Verstappen’s signing of a long-term contract with Red Bull Racing as a “true statement of intent”, adding: “Our immediate focus is on retaining the Max World Championship, but this deal also shows that it is part of the team’s long-term planning.”
The announcement of Verstappen’s contract extension comes a day following the Dutch daily, De Telegraaf, revealed that the current world champion “will stay for a long time with his current team”, with the Formula One driver becoming the highest-paid “estimated at 50 million euros annually”.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton leads the list of the best-paid in the Queen class, knowing that his contract with his Mercedes team runs until the end of 2023.
Forbes magazine also ranked Hamilton in the eighth place among the world’s best athletes, as he earns 54.8 million euros annually for his sports activities only, while his annual salary is just under 50 million.
Belgian-Dutch Verstappen, son of former Formula One driver Jos, started his Formula One career with Toro Rosso in 2015 at the age of 17, before being promoted to Red Bull Racing, with Belgian-born Mad Max racing on a Dutch racing licence.
At the age of 18 years, 7 months and 15 days, Verstappen became the youngest winner in the history of the championship, following winning the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. He also entered the records as the youngest driver to race, collect points and podium.
The current champion competed in 141 grand prix and won 20 races, including 10 last year, to win the drivers’ title for the first time in his career once morest the 37-year-old veteran Hamilton following a breathtaking struggle until the last corner of the last race at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. It sparked a great deal of controversy.
The 2022 competitions will start from the Sakhir International Circuit in Bahrain on March 20, preceded by three days of testing at the same circuit from 10 to 12 this year.
© 2022 AFP
