Max Verstappen has made a decision on quitting Red Bull but was in no mood to reveal it when quizzed on his future ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. The reigning champion is tied down to his current team until 2028 but continues to be linked with a move elsewhere. Last year, he was openly courted by Mercedes but Kimi Antonelli was eventually promoted to replace Lewis Hamilton.

He has also been mentioned in connection with Aston Martin, where he could reunite with famed designer Adrian Newey. It has been speculated that owner Lawrence Stroll could use his billionaire status to offer Verstappen a record-breaking deal. The rumour mill has refused to die down, largely due to Red Bull having slipped behind McLaren in the current pecking order.

Verstappen has previously addressed his future and stressed that he is loyal to Red Bull, having spent his entire career on their books. However, he has usually left the door open for a potential exit should they fail to offer him a competitive car.

"I mean, I’ve said it many times," he told The Telegraph before confirming that he had internally clarified his future with Red Bull bosses. When asked to reveal what his decision was, he stated: "I’ve said it to the team. I think that’s the most important thing."

It was then put to the Dutchman that refusing to publicly confirm his future would only lead to more speculation and unwanted media attention surrounding him.

He responded: "Yeah, but I mean, we also don’t know if I will wake up tomorrow, you know what I mean? You just never know. This is the thing."

It came after Verstappen decided to skip the private screening of Brad Pitt's upcoming F1 movie on Wednesday night. The vast majority of his rivals were spotted on the red carpet but he was nowhere to be seen.

He was one of just two drivers to miss the event, with Lance Stroll also choosing not to attend. Instead of mingling with his fellow drivers, Verstappen opted to stream himself playing video games online.

Quizzed on why he did not turn up, he explained: "I just wanted to spend more time at home. It wasn't a mandatory event either, it was just my private time.

"I prefer to spend that private time at home, especially because in Formula One you're away from home so much already. Wanting to spend more time at home on days like that is pretty normal, I think, now that the family is growing."