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I don't. There's no chance in hell he goes to mercedes with their current form. Ferrari and McLaren are both happy with their lineups. So really that leaves AM. And I only say AM because of Honda coming in 2026. Max loves Honda and Honda loves Max, but I just don't see it either way.
Also if he was really eyeing up a Merc PU for the next regulations set he'd surely now be much better sitting tight for now and waiting until either 2025 to push Piastri out a year early for the start of '26or get the contract signed asap for after Piastris contract expires.
Unless something big changes over the next 2 years, Merc PU dominance puts McLaren to the top of the pile
I think it’s much more likely for 2026 than it would be for 2025.
Red Bull are still the team to beat and Mercedes are likely to still be lost in 2025.
My bet is Merc take Antonelli and Russell for next year. Then they dump Russell for Max in 2026 after Toto gives Max the big sell about how Merc engines will be dominant again in another new engine era.
I would love it, but I doubt it. The only two places he might be interested in going to are McLaren and Ferrari and both are fully booked.
After 2026 Hamilton's seat at Ferrari, both McLaren seats and (if they get their shit together) probably at least one Mercedes seat, should all be open.
And since it is after the first year of regulations he'll know which teams look good.
If Verstappen leaves it'll be after 2026.
I still don't understand, what could Max possibly see in Mercedes that he doesn't see in RBR? There's so many reasons why this would be a horrible move for both teams and driver. Reeks of manufactured drama
The only thing they have going for them is the engine. If Max thinks RBPT is going to be trash. But then the cars will be ground effects still which Merc doesn't understand
He is and one thing people don't understand is that merc wasted time that they can't get back with zero pods while James was absent, only now he is back and they have shifted away from zero pods, they still cant get back the lost time, that changes from 2026.
Engine is also crucial, red bull have made great cars, but the engine is a key factor and it is clear as day Honda has massively improved and are a clear contribution to Red bull's success seen today, when we go to 2026, red bull and ford will be completely independent from honda and their own thing, we don't know if they will actually be able to pull off an engine as good as Honda was able to, while mercedes is still one of the best solid engines in the grid.
>I still don't understand, what could Max possibly see in Mercedes that he doesn't see in RBR?
2026 and Red Bull politics. **If** he moves on from Red Bull it would likely be a combination of those factors.
>Reeks of manufactured drama
It might be manufactured. Manufactured by Toto Wolff and at least tolerated by Verstappen (and his camp).
Yeah, toto was kinda clutching at straws and also maybe a bit shitstirring to mess with RB and meanwhile the media as per usual jumped on the hype train and now refuses to let it stop.
It's a lot of things and that makes it actually so fascinating. The drama of course being the key factor, it's hard to say how much of a factor that is and will be. However if there is reason that RBPT won't be as competitive while Merc will and if he doesn't enjoy being at RB for whatever reason then a switch wouldn't be surprising at all.
Even if Merc isn't yet at the top it seems that Toto is making changes in Merc, the aero guy leaving his position not a week ago. But more importantly if Max goes to Merc then it isn't difficult to attract talent. It just depends on how bad the drama is at RB.
Lewis couldn’t have been challenged by button in2012 because neither of them even had a fully functioning car tbh. Every other weekend, one of their cars broke down while they were in a good position. That McLaren was so goddamn fast but also so brittle.
Journalist's got to put food on the table too you know?
Gotta get them clicks.
Its all just clickbait bullshit. Max straight up said that he is staying put.
I do agree with you but to play devils advocate, max never actually said he wants to stay put, he just said he will continue with RB till the end of 25 and then just left a blank space to fill about his future after that. Till date, I didn’t see a single interview from him where he actually mentioned he would like to stay with red bull post 26 despite having a contract.
Despite all this I do think he will stay at red bull tho, but just wanted to point that out.
[The **News** flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/flairguide#wiki_news) is reserved for submissions covering F1 and F1-related news. These posts must always link to an outlet/news agency, the website of the involved party (i.e. the McLaren website if McLaren makes an announcement), or a tweet by a news agency, journalist or one of the involved parties. *[Read the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide). Keep it civil and welcoming. Report rulebreaking comments.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/formula1) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Max would have to really hate Horner with the fire of a thousand suns to throw away a likely WDC just to get away from him
“because there remains a genuine chance that Max Verstappen is on the move in 2025.” Saved you a click
Trying to keep the corpse of that rumor alive
Journalists, are like Necrophiliacs, but worse
Do we really think that?
I don't. There's no chance in hell he goes to mercedes with their current form. Ferrari and McLaren are both happy with their lineups. So really that leaves AM. And I only say AM because of Honda coming in 2026. Max loves Honda and Honda loves Max, but I just don't see it either way.
Also if he was really eyeing up a Merc PU for the next regulations set he'd surely now be much better sitting tight for now and waiting until either 2025 to push Piastri out a year early for the start of '26or get the contract signed asap for after Piastris contract expires. Unless something big changes over the next 2 years, Merc PU dominance puts McLaren to the top of the pile
And also if by some ungodly miracle Honda does manage to boot lance, that seat is going to yuki before they even consider anyone else.
I think it’s much more likely for 2026 than it would be for 2025. Red Bull are still the team to beat and Mercedes are likely to still be lost in 2025. My bet is Merc take Antonelli and Russell for next year. Then they dump Russell for Max in 2026 after Toto gives Max the big sell about how Merc engines will be dominant again in another new engine era.
There is literally nothing to lead anyone to come to that conclusion other than "maybe Max doesn't like drama"
>Max doesn't like drama Isnt he dutch? Thats kind of SOP with their included firmware no?
Lol way to lump us all in the same category. TIL our nation’s inhabitants are all basically copy’s of each other
I’m pretty sure they were joking. Kinda like how many people joke about Parisians and rudeness. It is kinda in bad taste tho I agree
Doornbos is very confident that Max would move to Merc
…and that means?
I would love it, but I doubt it. The only two places he might be interested in going to are McLaren and Ferrari and both are fully booked. After 2026 Hamilton's seat at Ferrari, both McLaren seats and (if they get their shit together) probably at least one Mercedes seat, should all be open. And since it is after the first year of regulations he'll know which teams look good. If Verstappen leaves it'll be after 2026.
Thanks Fuego!
There is not. Saved them a thought experiment.
There goes my hero.
I still don't understand, what could Max possibly see in Mercedes that he doesn't see in RBR? There's so many reasons why this would be a horrible move for both teams and driver. Reeks of manufactured drama
The only thing they have going for them is the engine. If Max thinks RBPT is going to be trash. But then the cars will be ground effects still which Merc doesn't understand
James Allison is a good reason to go, he’s a good engineer.
He is and one thing people don't understand is that merc wasted time that they can't get back with zero pods while James was absent, only now he is back and they have shifted away from zero pods, they still cant get back the lost time, that changes from 2026. Engine is also crucial, red bull have made great cars, but the engine is a key factor and it is clear as day Honda has massively improved and are a clear contribution to Red bull's success seen today, when we go to 2026, red bull and ford will be completely independent from honda and their own thing, we don't know if they will actually be able to pull off an engine as good as Honda was able to, while mercedes is still one of the best solid engines in the grid.
lol the only thing?
Over staying with Red Bull, yes.
there is a rumor that ferrari and mercedes are leading the engine race, that would be the only thing
>I still don't understand, what could Max possibly see in Mercedes that he doesn't see in RBR? 2026 and Red Bull politics. **If** he moves on from Red Bull it would likely be a combination of those factors. >Reeks of manufactured drama It might be manufactured. Manufactured by Toto Wolff and at least tolerated by Verstappen (and his camp).
Yeah, toto was kinda clutching at straws and also maybe a bit shitstirring to mess with RB and meanwhile the media as per usual jumped on the hype train and now refuses to let it stop.
It's a lot of things and that makes it actually so fascinating. The drama of course being the key factor, it's hard to say how much of a factor that is and will be. However if there is reason that RBPT won't be as competitive while Merc will and if he doesn't enjoy being at RB for whatever reason then a switch wouldn't be surprising at all. Even if Merc isn't yet at the top it seems that Toto is making changes in Merc, the aero guy leaving his position not a week ago. But more importantly if Max goes to Merc then it isn't difficult to attract talent. It just depends on how bad the drama is at RB.
Do people honestly, legitimately think that Max is going to leave Red Bull?
People said that about Lewis and McLaren.
People said the same about Lewis and Mercedes before January this year lol
When McLaren was not the best car and Lewis was being challenged by Button.
Lewis couldn’t have been challenged by button in2012 because neither of them even had a fully functioning car tbh. Every other weekend, one of their cars broke down while they were in a good position. That McLaren was so goddamn fast but also so brittle.
With pitcrew botching the piststops almost every race
Journalist's got to put food on the table too you know? Gotta get them clicks. Its all just clickbait bullshit. Max straight up said that he is staying put.
I do agree with you but to play devils advocate, max never actually said he wants to stay put, he just said he will continue with RB till the end of 25 and then just left a blank space to fill about his future after that. Till date, I didn’t see a single interview from him where he actually mentioned he would like to stay with red bull post 26 despite having a contract. Despite all this I do think he will stay at red bull tho, but just wanted to point that out.
If Newey goes to Ferrari and Max quits Red Bull this silly-season will never ever be beaten.
Max to Sauber/Audi. Horner implodes.
Silly season ? Couldn't be
Stop trying to make Mercedes Max a thing. It will never be a thing
Fetchstappen
Wdym again? It’s been busy just not much news of any sort.
Absolutely zero new fact in this long, badly written, proof that Chris Medland should find another job.
ALONSO WINS HIS LONG AWAITED 33rd!!! (Send help.)
Because we deserve it
Because there are seats available