What stands in the way of Max Verstappen's move to Mercedes

All signals at Mercedes are reportedly green for bringing in Max Verstappen. The biggest challenge will be convincing Verstappen himself and his contract situation.

That Mercedes is keen to bring Max Verstappen onboard for 2026 is no secret. Toto Wolff has made it clear since the beginning of 2024 that he sees Max Verstappen as the ideal successor for Lewis Hamilton. In 2025, Verstappen stayed with Red Bull Racing, but Mercedes has not given up.

With George Russell's contract coming to an end, there's once again space for Max Verstappen. Russell himself has indicated that his contract extension is on hold due to conversations between Toto Wolff and the Verstappen camp. Russell would like to stay, preferably with a long-term deal, but knows he is not the first choice.

A multi-year deal for Russell doesn't seem imminent anyway, especially with the possibility that Verstappen could still make the switch in 2027 if Red Bull underperforms. GPblog has learned that internally, Mercedes expects Verstappen to simply stay with Red Bull, but the fact that Russell’s contract has not yet been extended is no coincidence. Mercedes is still holding out hope for that 1% chance that Verstappen might join.

Will Max Verstappen move to Mercedes?

In preparation for that possibility, Ola Källenius, the CEO of the Mercedes-Benz Group, is said to have now given the green light for signing Max Verstappen. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the contract is already fully prepared — it’s just waiting for Verstappen’s signature. However, Mercedes has dismissed the Italian reports as “nonsense”. Verstappen first needs to decide whether he even wants to leave Red Bull Racing.

If Verstappen does want to leave Red Bull, the biggest obstacle will be his contract. The Dutchman is signed with Red Bull Racing through 2028. The contract includes various performance clauses, but given Verstappen's current position in the standings, Max cannot simply walk away.

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Will Helmut Marko let his star racer leave?

If Verstappen remains third in the world championship, a switch to Mercedes is not made that easy. GPblog has learned that Mercedes is not willing to pay the buyout sum for Verstappen to Red Bull, which some media have estimated at 100 million euros.

Yet the door is open and the Verstappen camp is weighing the options. If Red Bull, under the direction of Laurent Mekies, can find the way forward again, then Verstappen would gladly stay 'home' at Red Bull Racing. If Red Bull fails to regain Verstappen's trust, then they will have to look for a way to split up.

For Red Bull Racing, there's also no benefit in keeping a four-time world champion against his will. With Helmut Marko back firmly in charge as the leader of Red Bull, it might also be easier for Verstappen to part ways amicably.

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