Claims of Max Verstappen having 'conversations' with Mercedes could overshadow Red Bull's home race
The idea of Max Verstappen joining Mercedes would have seemed outlandish when he fought Lewis Hamilton in the controversial title decider in 2021. Now it's the hot topic in the Formula 1 paddock.
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The build-up Friday to the Austrian Grand Prix was dominated by comments made the day before by Mercedes driver George Russell to British broadcaster Sky Sports.
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Russell has yet to get a contract extension for 2026 and seemed to suggest that Verstappen and Mercedes were in talks.
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'As Mercedes, they want to be back on top, and if you're going to be back on top you need to make sure you've got the best drivers, the best engineers, the best pit crew, and that's what Mercedes are chasing,' Sky Sports quoted Russell as saying. 'So, it's only normal that conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing. But from my side, if I'm performing as I'm doing, what have I got to be concerned about? There are two seats in every Formula 1 team.'
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It would be one of the biggest driver changes ever in F1 — on par with Hamilton's switch to Ferrari — if Verstappen, a Red Bull driver since childhood, joined the team which has often been his toughest challenger.
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It would mean working with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who was left to exclaim 'that was so not right' at a decision which helped Verstappen beat then-Mercedes driver Hamilton to the 2021 title on the last lap of the season.
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Asked about Russell's comments and whether any talks with Verstappen were happening, Wolff signaled Mercedes would 'need to explore' future developments.
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'I like what George says, and I'm always supportive of the driver, and there's no such thing as saying things I wouldn't want him to say. I think we are very transparent in the team for what we do, what we plan, and we've been like that since I was put in charge of that. So that's not the issue,' Wolff said. 'And at the moment, clearly you need to explore what's happening in the future, but it doesn't change anything of what I said before about George, about Kimi, about the lineup that I'm extremely happy of having.'
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Mercedes has yet to confirm either Russell or rookie Kimi Antonelli for 2026 despite both having strong seasons so far.
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Verstappen has a long-term contract through 2028, so in theory his Red Bull seat should be one of the safest on the grid. However, the deal has performance-related clauses which could reportedly allow a move.
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'I don't think we need to talk about that,' Verstappen said Thursday when asked to confirm whether he'll stay with the team for 2026. 'It's not really in my mind. It's just driving and trying to push the performance, you know. And then we focus on next year.'
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