SILVERSTONE — Max Verstappen once more declined to comment on persistent rumors linking him to a move from Red Bull to Mercedes for the 2026 season.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed his team`s interest in potentially signing the four-time world champion.
According to sources, Verstappen`s contract with Red Bull, which runs until 2028, contains a clause allowing him to leave if he is positioned lower than third in the championship standings entering the summer break in August.
Verstappen is currently third, holding a nine-point lead over Mercedes` George Russell. Speculation suggests Verstappen could potentially replace Russell, whose contract situation beyond the current season remains uncertain.
Last week, following a series of challenging results, Verstappen emphasized that his sole focus was on improving Red Bull`s car for the 2025 season.
When questioned about the rumors this week, he reiterated, “I have nothing further to say. My position remains unchanged. Last week wasn`t a great weekend for us, we didn`t achieve a good result, and overall, it was somewhat unlucky. While I`m not claiming we could challenge McLaren, we could have had a reasonable outcome. Everything I said last week still stands; nothing has altered on my end.”
Last week, Wolff stated that Mercedes plans to finalize their 2026 driver line-up during the summer break, which begins after the Hungarian Grand Prix in early August. This timeframe coincides with the period when Verstappen`s potential contract clause, tied to his championship standing, would be evaluated.
Consequently, no definitive decisions regarding Mercedes` driver choice or Verstappen`s future can be made before the conclusion of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is reportedly unconcerned by the situation, with many within the team believing the Mercedes speculation originates more from Verstappen`s father, Jos, rather than Max himself.
The decision of where to drive in 2026 is particularly complex due to significant regulation changes planned for Formula 1 concerning both aerodynamics and engines.
This major shift essentially creates a level playing field for the competitive landscape, making it difficult to accurately predict which teams will excel and which might face difficulties.
Mercedes is said to be increasingly confident about their 2026 engine project, although this doesn`t guarantee success, as demonstrated by McLaren, a Mercedes engine customer, currently outperforming them in the championship.
Red Bull will conclude their successful partnership with Honda after the current season and will utilize their own engines, developed in collaboration with Ford, from 2026 onwards. Insiders at the Milton Keynes team anticipate that their new engine project may not immediately be the strongest, but it`s impossible to gauge its performance relative to competitors` 2026 engines at this stage. Red Bull has historically been renowned for its strong car design capabilities.
When asked if switching teams given the uncertainties of 2026 would be a risk, Verstappen responded, “Precisely. That is why I am under contract with Red Bull.”
A circulating theory suggests Verstappen might remain with Red Bull for the 2026 season (perhaps with Russell extending for a year at Mercedes) to better evaluate the competitive landscape under the new regulations before deciding his future team for 2027.
Some reports have proposed that Verstappen might take a sabbatical year to observe how the new regulations impact team performance, but Verstappen offered a clear denial only on this specific suggestion.
Asked if there was any possibility he would take a break from F1, he firmly replied, “No, definitely not.”
Verstappen has shown growing interest in participating in GT racing events, highlighted by a much-discussed test at the Nurburgring using the pseudonym `Franz Herman`.
He indicated he intends to continue exploring opportunities to increase his involvement in such events.
He commented, “Naturally, I will try in the future to combine [F1] with any other possible forms of racing. I can`t fully prepare for it [yet], but I do want to explore racing outside of Formula 1. I`m already doing this through testing, but eventually, I want to race.”
Dominic Ashworth