Verstappen shrugs off fresh McLaren speculation

Max Verstappen has waved away another round of McLaren rumours, calling AI-generated switch images "easy to copy" as Red Bull's Austrian GP deadline quietly passed.

Max Verstappen has played down the latest round of speculation about his future, insisting nothing has changed despite fresh reports linking him with McLaren.

The latest rumours follow reports that Verstappen's management itself made contact with McLaren, while Dutch media also claim a deadline passed before last weekend's Austrian GP for the Dutchman to let Red Bull know his decision about triggering a contract exit clause.

Speaking to Dutch media after Austria, Verstappen insisted his focus remains unchanged.

"I've been having those conversations with the team for a long time and nothing will change that either," he said.

"We know what we want from each other."

Asked specifically about the McLaren rumours, he replied: "I don't have any use for that and I don't do anything with that either."

Verstappen also laughed off AI-generated images circulating online showing him wearing McLaren colours.

"All of that is possible now," he sighed. "With AI, that's easy to copy."

Pressed again by Viaplay about when clarity on his future might emerge, Verstappen again refused to engage.

"I have nothing to report, so we can go on again," he told reporter Chiel van Koldenhoven.

Asked whether he had a timetable for making any decision, he answered: "I can't say anything about that either, because there's nothing there at the moment."

Instead, he said his priorities remain elsewhere.

"After this, I just want to spend time with my family at home, seeing friends, and that kind of thing, and looking forward to the summer."

"The rest will come by itself."

Coronel dismisses retirement talk

Dutch racing veteran Tom Coronel also dismissed suggestions Verstappen could walk away from Formula 1 altogether.

"Total nonsense," Coronel told Viaplay.

"That's the emotion, but what else should he do? This is a racer at heart."

"You always want to do the highest achievable."

Max Verstappen snapshot

See also: F1 all-time archive on F1-Fansite.

Related: McLaren keeps Verstappen door open as Red Bull scrambles

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Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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