“Nice pay rise”: Praise for Verstappen’s manager following contract extension

The world of Formula 1 has been on hold over the past few weeks, as the summer break forced the teams to pause their work for a short while. Most drivers took the opportunity to go on holiday and recharge their batteries whilst spending time with their loved ones. Some drivers’ managers, on the other hand, had their hands full as they negotiated contracts for their charges.

When the World Championship contenders returned to the track, there were immediately several confirmations of contract extensions. Alex Albon was the first to do so, committing himself to Williams for another year. A day later, his team-mate Carlos Sainz followed suit, although he signed a multi-year deal.

However, it was the confirmation that Max Verstappen would remain with the Red Bull Racing team that caused the biggest stir. This was because there had been a number of rumours surrounding the four-time world champion’s potential move to another team, which turned out to be false. Instead of leaving his current employer, the 71-time Grand Prix winner extended his contract until the end of 2030.

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It wasn’t just Verstappen himself who was asked about this; the 28-year-old’s rivals were also questioned about his decision to remain loyal to Red Bull Racing. Take Pierre Gasly, for example, who, as a former team-mate of the exceptional Dutch driver, witnessed first-hand just how good Verstappen’s performance was.

“I’m not surprised,” explained the Frenchman, who praised Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen: “I think his manager has done a very good job and secured him a nice pay rise.” He added that this was good news for the sport. “It’s good for all of us that Max is on the grid. He’s probably the best of our generation, so I definitely see this as a positive thing,” he emphasised. Verstappen himself, of course, did not wish to comment on the details of his contract.

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