Max Verstappen now predicted to ditch Red Bull next season for eight-time F1 champions by Robert Doornbos

Max Verstappen is the hottest driver on the Formula 1 market right now, despite having a contract with Red Bull until 2028.

The four-time champion has been linked with an exit from the Milton Keynes outfit since last year. The drama surrounding the Red Bull hierarchy led to multiple key figures leaving, including Adrian Newey.

There has been fear that the 27-year-old could be the next to depart. Such a move would be catastrophic, considering that Verstappen has guided the team to four drivers’ and three constructors’ titles and has scored almost all of Red Bull’s points since 2024.

The Milton Keynes squad have regressed in recent months, with their star driver growing frustrated as he no longer has a car capable of winning the championship. Red Bull’s 2026 engine is Verstappen’s ‘breaking point’ as they shift to a works team with Ford.

Red Bull must give Verstappen the ‘slightest hope’ of race wins to convince him to stay beyond 2025. The Dutchman could trigger an exit clause in his contract, with several teams up and down the paddock certainly monitoring his situation.

Verstappen will not race for Aston Martin in 2026 after supposedly turning down their approach. Lawrence Stroll had offered Verstappen a £1bn contract, but Robert Doornbos thinks he has his heart set on another team.

Robert Doornbos predicts Max Verstappen to join Mercedes in 2026

Mercedes have been interested in Verstappen for some time. The Silver Arrows are yet to confirm their driver line-up for next season, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli out of contract in 2025.

Mercedes are tipped to have the fastest engine in 2026, with the Brackley-based outfit having a great track record with new regulations. The team aced the turbo-hybrid era, which saw them win eight constructors’ championships from 2014 to 2021.

The Silver Arrows have been heavily linked with the Red Bull driver this season as he considers his options for 2026. Verstappen rubbished claims that he will take a sabbatical, with Doornbos stating that he is ‘not done’, but has tipped his fellow Dutchman to switch to Mercedes.

“He’s not done. He might be done with Red Bull and that story, that fairytale, might come to an end. And a beautiful, beautiful story it has been,” he said via The Pit Talk Podcast.

“You just stepped on, won the first race when he arrived at the team. There’s no better way for a first introduction to win the race.

“Four championships, constructors’ as well, played his role. I mean he wins it on his own, constructors’. And he’s very valuable for Red Bull, if he would leave, it would be a disaster, big shoes to fill.

“But I also see him moving to another team that can give him the tools to win more championships. And we don’t see Red Bull winning another four or five championships in the next eight years.

“There’s another team that’s going to do that, and in my opinion, it’s going to be Mercedes.

“Mercedes, if you look at the facts, every time there was a big rule change engine-wise, 2014, they killed everybody with a hybrid engine.”

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Robert Doornbos says George Russell will ‘probably’ step aside if Max Verstappen joins Mercedes

Verstappen joining Mercedes would leave Toto Wolff in a difficult position. Russell is a great team leader who is regularly winning races and Antonelli is a serious talent for the future, but one will have to ‘step aside’.

Russell is being linked with Aston Martin as Mercedes are yet to offer him fresh terms. Doornbos believes the Brit will ‘probably’ have to make way if Wolff pulls the trigger on Verstappen.

“George has to probably step aside if Max comes. And George has no contract for next year,” he said,

“He does what he does best. It makes life difficult for Toto as well because the guy is winning races. He’s the only Grand Prix winner this year after Oscar, Lando and Max.

“I mean, how long can you keep him on the leash?”