Red Bull’s Max Verstappen shuts down rumours over Mercedes move
Max Verstappen has confirmed that he will remain at Red Bull for 2026, dismissing rumours that he will be leaving the Austrian outfit for Mercedes.
Since early 2024, Red Bull have endured a rough patch, particularly when it comes to their internal structure.
Following Christian Horner’s sexual misconduct charges - which have since been dropped - rumours of tension inside the team started to grow.
Horner’s future had been in question ever since, and he was finally dismissed in July 2025 due to performance-related issues.
Another significant move was when legendary engineer Adrian Newey left Red Bull for Aston Martin.
Release clause talks and Mercedes interest
That departure, along with Red Bull’s dip in performance during the 2025 season, only intensified speculation about Verstappen’s future.
With the team struggling, reports emerged about a potential performance-based release clause in Verstappen’s contract. That opened the door to rumours linking him with a move to Mercedes.
This speculation was fueled when Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted that he was in conversations over trying to sign Verstappen. Although, Wolff maintained that the four time world champion was likely to only make the move after 2026.
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Verstappen clears the air
However, after months of speculation, Verstappen has shut down the rumours, affirming his belief in the team, and his intent to stay.
Speaking on his future ahead of the Hungarian GP, he said:
"The thing is always that people are waffling so much throughout the whole season, while the only one that actually can or should speak is not speaking. That's me.
"And I do that on purpose because it makes no sense to start throwing things around, and actually that should be the same for everyone.
"Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama. But, for me, it's always been quite clear, and also for next year.
"I'm discussing with the team already the plans, the things that we want to change for next year. So that means that I'm also staying with the team for next year."
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