Rumours build ahead of British Grand Prix linking Max Verstappen with move from Red Bull to Mercedes

F1 media has been dominated ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix with rumours linking Max Verstappen with a move from Red Bull to Mercedes.

The Dutch driver is under contract at Red Bull until 2028, but has been repeatedly linked with moves away from the Milton Keynes-based team, with Mercedes and Aston Martin having been the most frequently linked teams.

Sky Sports in Italy have turned up the ante this week, first reporting earlier this week that team and driver had been in advanced discussions before reporting in a follow-up piece that a deal is in place for Verstappen to join Mercedes for 2026 with board sign-off awaited. Other sources have however said that announcement of any move is not imminent.

Dutch journalist Erik van Haren, widely regarded as a reporter with close connections to the Verstappen camp, wrote on social media that, “The game around Max Verstappen is on and will certainly remain so in the coming weeks. Reigning world champion is in doubt about his future at Red Bull and is taking his time to make a well-considered decision.”

Both Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are on contracts that expire at the end of 2025.

Russell himself revealed during a press conference at last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix that Mercedes had been talking to Verstappen’s representatives, although his boss Toto Wolff said he was expecting it to be likelier that Russell would be at Mercedes than Verstappen.

The move has lead to particular speculation on the future of Russell. The British driver and Verstappen had a major public spat after an incident during qualifying at last year’s Qatar Grand Prix.

Both drivers were asked about the situation in press conferences ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend.

Verstappen was minimal in his remarks, with his only confirmation being to deny rumours that had emerged over the Austrian Grand Prix weekend that he was considering a sabbatical and staying out of Formula One in 2026. When asked if he was considering such a move, he simply responded “No. No, for sure, not.”

When asked about specifics regarding his 2026 plans during a press conference, Verstappen refused to be drawn on what the future holds.

He said, “There is no decision at the moment, you know. So for me, it’s not about 26 or whatever. I just focus on what I have ahead of me, work with the team. And then, of course, a lot of people make up assumptions. But you know, that’s not me.”

Russell was more open, saying that he believes it is likelier than not that he will stay at the Mercedes team he joined in 2022, having previously been a part of Mercedes’ junior programme on the way to F1.

The British driver said, “The likelihood I’m not at Mercedes next year, I think, is exceptionally low.

“I want to continue with Mercedes into the future. The fact is, Toto has never let me down. He’s always given me his word, but he’s also got to do what’s right for his team, which includes me. But it also includes the thousands of people who work for Mercedes.

“For me, it’s nothing to worry about because I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere. And whoever my team-mate will be, it doesn’t concern me either.

“I know where their loyalty lies. It doesn’t need to be public. It doesn’t need to be broadcast to everybody.

“I feel I’m performing better than ever. And it’s as simple as that really. Performance speaks for everything.”

Wolff said that he aims to finalise Mercedes’ 2026 line-up by the end of F1’s summer break, which is scheduled to run between the Hungarian Grand Prix in early August and the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August.