The F1 paddock is abuzz, and not just with the roar of engines at this weekend’s British Grand Prix. Whispers have turned into full-blown speculation about a potential blockbuster move that could send shockwaves through the sport: Max Verstappen to Mercedes.
This isn’t just idle chatter, as the discussions picked up steam at the Austrian Grand Prix, with reported concrete talks to bring the reigning World Champion to Mercedes being “ongoing.” Even Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admitted he’s in conversations with Verstappen’s camp, though he gives it “very little probability” for 2026, he doesn’t rule out a long-term partnership.
Max Verstappen and His ‘Out’ at Red Bull
Despite being under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, Verstappen reportedly has an exit clause that could allow him to leave earlier, particularly if his team’s performance isn’t top-notch. With McLaren currently dominating the 2025 season and Verstappen trailing championship leader Oscar Piastri by a significant 61 points, Red Bull is facing what most observers consider a competitive decline. Adding to the complexity, Red Bull is splitting with power unit supplier Honda next year and will develop its engines in partnership with Ford. At the same time, Honda will supply Aston Martin, a team with which Verstappen was also linked, especially with Adrian Newey now on board.
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Mercedes and Its Dilemma
For Mercedes, landing Verstappen would be a massive coup. Martin Brundle suggests that it would not only give them the fastest driver on the grid right now but also leave their rival, Red Bull, in a pretty dire situation. Even Mercedes-Benz Group Chairman Ola Kallenius publicly stated that the best drivers want to drive the best cars and that Max would look good in silver. However, such a move isn’t without its challenges.
Mercedes has a carefully planned long-term strategy involving their current drivers, George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Bringing in Verstappen could mean sacrificing Russell, despite his strong performance, and pairing Antonelli, their future star, with a driver known as the “team-mate killer.”
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Max Verstappen and the Economics of Stealing Him Away
Signing Verstappen would also come with an astronomical price tag. He’s currently the highest-paid driver on the F1 grid, with a reported salary of $75 million for the 2025 season. Reports indicate that a buyout of his Red Bull contract could cost the team that does it more than $136 million. For Toto Wolff, the high cost might not be a hindrance given his keen interest. Verstappen, on his part, might also be using this Mercedes interest as leverage to push for changes within Red Bull’s leadership structure. Regardless of the outcome, the saga highlights that no team can realistically hold on to a driver who wants to leave.
If Max Verstappen were to bolt Red Bull for either Mercedes or Aston Martin, the impact on the F1 world would be seismic. Perhaps the greatest driver in the history of the sport moving in that direction would demonstrate the power he yields — both economically and competitively — in the sport.
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