Max Verstappen has dismissed speculation about a possible move from Red Bull after wrapping up his fourth consecutive Formula One world title in Las Vegas.

Verstappen admitted that he had contemplated a change of team during a difficult season on and off the track, with Mercedes team manager Toto Wolff openly courting the Dutchman as a replacement for seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton.

“I’m very loyal to the team,” he said. “I appreciate, of course, what they have done for me from picking me up out of F3 and giving me an F1 seat and then going through all these emotions over all the years with these key people in the team.

“So, when there are tough times, it’s very easy to say goodbye or forget about it or ignore it. But I think it’s actually way more important to actually face them and go through it together.”

Verstappen finished fifth in Las Vegas with a controlled drive, one place ahead of his title rival Lando Norris. That result gave him an unassailable 63-point lead in the title race with just two races remaining.

The 27-year-old won seven of the first 10 Grands Prix this season, but struggled in the second half as Ferrari and McLaren’s cars left the Red Bulls behind.

But Verstappen responded with a magnificent drive in the rain in Brazil three weeks ago, winning from 17th position on the grid in what team boss Christian Horner hailed as a “masterclass”.

His fourth title equals the achievement of Sebastian Vettel and leaves just Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, with seven titles each, and Juan Manuel Fangio, on five, ahead of him.

Internal investigation

Off the track Red Bull’s season was disrupted by an internal investigation into Horner over allegations of inappropriate behaviour by a female colleague. Verstappen indicated he could leave the team if veteran adviser Helmut Marko was forced out amid claims that information about Horner had been leaked.

The complaint against Horner was dismissed in August, while Red Bull retained the services of both Marko and Verstappen.

With Mercedes taking the first two places in Las Vegas, Verstappen said he expected an even more competitive season in 2025.

He said: “Last year, I had a dominant car, but I always felt that not everyone appreciated what we achieved as a team, winning 10 in a row.

“But I’m also very proud of this season because I would say for 70% of the season, we didn’t have the fastest car, but we still extended our lead.”