In a surprising turn of events, Jos Verstappen, the father of Formula 1 star Max Verstappen, has forcefully dismissed claims that his son has intentions to race for Mercedes in the 2026 F1 season. This comes amidst a flurry of speculations about Max Verstappen’s future with Red Bull, his current team. Despite his contract with Red Bull set to run until the end of 2028, rumors linking Verstappen to a potential exit have been circulating for the past year.
The rumors have been fueled by Red Bull’s waning competitiveness and increasing friction between Jos Verstappen and the team’s principal, Christian Horner. The potential shift was speculated following Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari in 2024, which left Mercedes on the hunt for a suitable replacement. Ultimately, the team opted for young prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli to fill the seven-time World Champion’s shoes.
However, the rumor mill has not stopped churning. Aston Martin has also been mentioned as a possible destination for Verstappen, given their recent acquisition of engine manufacturer Honda and F1 design maestro Adrian Newey. Both Newey and Honda have been instrumental in Red Bull’s recent success and Verstappen’s world champion status.
With the length of Antonelli’s contract with Mercedes undisclosed and George Russell’s deal set to end in 2025, speculation is rife that Mercedes could reignite their pursuit of Verstappen. The conjecture is bolstered by the upcoming F1 2026 rule changes, for which Mercedes’ preparation is said to be well underway.
Jack Plooij, a pundit with Dutch F1 broadcaster Ziggo Sport, recently predicted that Verstappen would kick off the 2026 season as a Mercedes driver. This conjecture drew a swift response from an evidently irate Verstappen Sr, who dismissed Plooij’s claim as ‘nonsense.’
Christian Horner confirmed during the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort that Verstappen’s contract indeed contains a “performance element.” This clause could permit Verstappen to part ways with Red Bull prior to 2028 if the team fails to supply a competitive vehicle. It’s speculated that Verstappen could activate an exit clause if he ranks below third in the Drivers’ Championship after a significant portion of the F1 2025 season.
Despite these rumors, both Verstappens have consistently insisted that Max will honor his contract with Red Bull. However, a renowned F1 reporter reported in January that discussions to transfer Verstappen to Aston Martin were in progress and that the possibility of such a move was “very real.”
Aston Martin, however, vehemently denied the report. In response to inquiries from PlanetF1.com, an Aston Martin Aramco spokesperson categorically dismissed the story. Aston Martin’s current drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, are contracted for at least two more seasons, leaving no room for Verstappen theoretically.
Further adding to the intrigue, former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan stated last year that Mercedes’ top management had a meeting in Monaco to assemble a “fighting fund” to afford Verstappen’s salary. According to Jordan, Verstappen was aware of this meeting.
However, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has denied ever having a plan to sign Verstappen. In a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Wolff disclosed that conversations with Verstappen ended when the latter expressed his desire to stick with Red Bull. At that point, Mercedes proceeded to finalize their deal with Antonelli.
The F1 rumor mill continues to spin, and only time will reveal where Max Verstappen will be racing in 2026. For now, Verstappen fans and F1 enthusiasts can only speculate and wait for the final verdict.
