维斯塔潘续约红牛至2030年，续约决定令人意外
马克斯·维斯塔潘与红牛车队续约，若履行新合同将效力至2030年底，这一消息颇为出人意料。
如果马克斯·维斯塔潘履行完他的新续约合同，他将作为红牛车队的一级方程式车手留到2030年底，而此前他曾表示那份旧合同可能是他的最后一份。
自他发表那番言论以来的四年里，很多事情已经发生了变化，但这仍然令人意外，因为在过去18个月的大部分时间里，维斯塔潘不断被传可能转投其他车队，而且他对最新一套一级方程式规则明显反感，甚至一度公开考虑自己是否要去别的车队比赛。
这对红牛和一级方程式来说是一笔多大的胜利？红牛真的曾经是问题所在吗？这对车手市场又意味着什么？
维斯塔潘的主要不满始终是规则，而不是红牛
对于红牛来说，失去维斯塔潘的最大风险一直来自规则，而不是赛道上的表现。
虽然维斯塔潘现在已经长期承诺留队，这会让迈尔顿凯恩斯工厂内部松一口气，但如果说赛季开始时就注定会有这样的结果，那就错了。
事实上，知情人士表示，维斯塔潘对2026年规则以及纯粹竞技乐趣丧失的公开焦虑意味着，如果情况没有改善，他真的有可能撂挑子走人、去别处寻找乐趣。
因此，尽管红牛知道自己还需要改进底盘，并提升整体动力单元（内燃机以外的部分），但让主动权重新回到红牛手中、从而锁定维斯塔潘的关键因素，是F1承认F1的50/50动力分配时代并不成功。
今年推出的这些改动只是缓慢的一小步，明年的转变也不会是一场革命，但在维斯塔潘的脑海中，2028年这个时间点——届时F1的60/40计划应当正式生效——才是完全契合的时机。
到那时，他的车队将有充足的时间向前推进，这意味着维斯塔潘可以重新把目光放在从胜利中——更重要的是从比赛中——获得乐趣上。
不要低估这对红牛来说是多么重大的事情
是的，2027年其他车队的直接选择可能已经枯竭，关于参加一个完整赛季跑车赛事的暗示近几个月也渐渐平息，正如对2026年规则的更大抱怨也已平息一样。
但千万别以为这对红牛来说不是一件大事。
红牛实际上已经通过公告的措辞承认了这一点。红牛在确认维斯塔潘续约时表示，它感到“无比自豪”，并大力宣扬他所取得的成就，称这构成了“F1历史上最成功、最具决定性的合作关系之一”。
但这不仅仅是回顾过去：“这是对彼此信任与雄心的有力宣示——也是一个共同塑造未来的共同决定。”
无论这番话是否夸张，在外界普遍认为红牛正在流失人才、以及维斯塔潘身边最亲近的团队成员相继离开的背景下，这正是红牛想要、或许也是需要发表的声明。
这也是对梅基斯领导下的红牛2.0最有力的证明，他表示这一决定“植根于维斯塔潘与车队多年来建立的信任，以及维斯塔潘对我们的人员、我们的文化和我们对未来愿景的信心”。
这里用一点华丽的措辞也不为过。因为没错，如果你成功让这位依然是这一代标杆级天才车手的人承诺延长一份四年前他曾说可能是自己最后一份合同的合约，你也会感到非常自豪，对吧？
对于红牛来说，把维斯塔潘绑定到十年期末尾是一项巨大的成就，尤其是在这一年里，车队看起来比他开始夺冠以来的任何时候都离巅峰更远，而且一级方程式似乎也比以往任何时候都更让他感到沮丧。
如果他、红牛以及车队的自主研发引擎能一起重回夺冠状态，那将是一个精彩的故事，其成就堪比当年推翻梅赛德斯的霸主地位。维斯塔潘加红牛的故事值得以一个高潮收尾。
但看到他适应另一支车队并在那里取胜，看到另一位顶级车手在红牛会有怎样的表现，看着车手市场上的多米诺骨牌因维斯塔潘大转会梅赛德斯、迈凯伦、阿斯顿·马丁或任何车队而纷纷倒下……本来会有很多我更乐意看到展开的故事线。
我想我们大家都清楚，他那一连串抱怨的结果会是这样。F1需要修正这套愚蠢的规则，规则里赛车比车手更重要，这不只是针对维斯塔潘，而是针对所有车手，基本上是为了所有人。
但更大的问题是，他还能去哪里，并且：
第一，那里有能力给他一个席位。
B，在那里他可以成为明确的一号车手。
C，在那里他拥有带领车队按自己方向前进的威望。
D，在那里他可以乐在其中地参与自己的其他爱好。
E，在那里他能拿到现在这份薪水。
红牛需要他，因为他是那种最能从一辆不太争气的赛车上硬榨出好成绩的车手之一；如果赛车能给他更好的装备，那么更多的冠军就在眼前。
我很高兴他继续留在红牛，我想看到维斯塔潘与目前一些崭露头角的新秀正面交锋；他和安东内利之间的轮对轮缠斗会带来一个精彩的下午，来吧！
英文原文
Max Verstappen will remain a Red Bull Formula 1 driver through until the end of 2030 if he sees out his new extension to a deal that he'd previously said might be his last.
A lot has changed in the four years since he made that statement, but this is nevertheless a surprise amid the regular links Verstappen has had to a move elsewhere for much of the past 18 months, and an overt dislike for the latest F1 ruleset that even prompted him to consider publicly whether he would race elsewhere.
How big a coup is this for Red Bull and F1? Was Red Bull ever the problem? And what does it mean for the driver market?
Rules - not Red Bull - were always Verstappen's main gripe
It was always the rules, not on-track performance, that produced the biggest risk to Red Bull of losing Max Verstappen.
While there will be a sense of relief within the corridors of its Milton Keynes factory that Verstappen is now committed for the long term, it would be wrong to say that such an outcome was guaranteed when the season kicked off.
In fact, insiders suggest that Verstappen's open angst about the 2026 regulations, and the loss of pure racing, meant the danger was real in making him throw the towel in and going to get his fun elsewhere if things did not improve.
So while Red Bull knows there is work to do to make its chassis better, and improve it overall power unit (beyond the internal combustion engine), the catalyst that put things back in its hands to get Verstappen locked down was F1 accepting that F1's 50/50 power split era wasn't a success.
The changes introduced for this year have been a pigeon step, and next year's shift will not be a revolution, but in Verstappen's head the timeframe of 2028 - where F1's 60/40 plan should come into force - is one of perfect alignment.
By then his team will have had plenty of time to push itself forward, and that means Verstappen can set sights on getting enjoyment from winning - and more importantly racing - once again.
Don't underestimate how big a deal this is for Red Bull
Yes, the immediate options elsewhere for 2027 might have dried up, and the hints of a full season of sportscar racing have quietened in recent months, just as the bigger complaints about the 2026 regulations have too.
But don't think for a second this isn't a big deal for Red Bull.
It effectively admitted as much with the wording of its announcement. Red Bull said it was "immensely proud" to confirm that Verstappen was continuing, talking up the achievements that have made this "one of the most successful and defining partnerships in F1 history".
But this is about more than looking back: "It is a powerful statement of mutual trust and ambition - and a shared decision to shape the future together."
Hyperbolic or not, this is the statement that Red Bull will have wanted, and perhaps needed, to make amid perceptions of a brain drain and those closest to Verstappen in the camp departing.
And it's the biggest vindication yet of Red Bull 2.0 under stewardship of Mekies, who said the decision was "rooted in the trust Max and the team have built over many years, as well as Max’s confidence in our people, our culture and our vision for the future".
No qualms about a bit of indulgent wording here. Because yes, you'd be pretty proud too if you'd managed to get the driver who remains the benchmark generational talent to commit to extending a deal that four years ago he said might be his last, right?
What a massive achievement for Red Bull to tie Verstappen down through to the end of a decade in the middle of a year when it's looked further from the top than at any time since he started winning titles, and in which F1 seemed to be frustrating him more than ever.
If he and Red Bull, plus its in-house engine, can recover championship-winning form together, that will be a great narrative and an achievement on a par with toppling Mercedes in the first place. The story of Verstappen plus Red Bull deserves to end on a high.
But seeing him adapting to and winning at another team, seeing how a different elite driver would fare at Red Bull, watching all the driver market dominoes scatter around a big Verstappen move to Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin or anywhere...there would've been a lot of storylines there that I'd have enjoyed seeing play out even more.
I think we all knew that this would be the outcome of all his rants. F1 needs to rectify this stupid set of regulations where the car is more important than the driver, that’s not only for Verstappen but all the drivers, basically for everyone.
But the bigger question is, where else could he go that:
A, were in a position to give him a seat.
B, where he could be a clear number one.
C, where he had the respect to lead the team in his direction.
D, where he could have fun getting involved in his other hobbies.
E, where he could get paid the amount he does.
Red Bull need him because he is one of the best at dragging a result out of a reluctant car, if it can give him better equipment then more championships are just around the corner.
I’m glad he is staying at Red Bull, I want to see Verstappen head-to-head with some of the up and coming talent that is around; wheel-to-wheel battling between him and Kimi Antonelli would make an entertaining afternoon, bring it on!
The Race ·
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