The Red Bull future of Max Verstappen is a topic which continues to generate debate, with a bruising Bahrain GP experience serving as a fresh spark.

However, former Hispania and Lotus driver turned Sky F1 pundit Karun Chandhok, has warned that should Verstappen decide to jump ship to rivals Mercedes, then he “may not have a say” on who his team-mate is, believing Red Bull has perhaps “created a situation” like that.

Max Verstappen F1 future: Mercedes represents loss of team-mate control?

It was during a turbulent time for Red Bull off-track early in 2024 – followed by a drop in form for the previously dominant team – when talk over Verstappen’s future began to bubble up, with Mercedes team principal and one-third owner Toto Wolff making it clear he would “love” to sign Verstappen, as Mercedes sought out their replacement for Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.

But, Wolff would ultimately promote Kimi Antonelli to race alongside George Russell from F1 2025 and end any “flirting” with other drivers, while Verstappen re-affirmed his commitment to Red Bull.

With Aston Martin also thrown into the rumour mill recently as a potential future Verstappen destination – such a switch allowing him to reunite with Honda and Adrian Newey, a challenging start to this season for Red Bull and Verstappen has also added further fuel to the fire when it comes to exit talk.

McLaren has established itself as the leading team early in F1 2025, and following a torrid race weekend last time out in Bahrain – where Verstappen crossed the line P6 – even Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has admitted to “great concerns” that Verstappen will leave Red Bull if they do not improve.

Reports claim that Verstappen could trigger an exit clause in his Red Bull contract – which runs until the end of 2028 – if he is lower than third in the Drivers’ Championship “after a significant part” of this season. He is currently P3. Both Marko and team principal Christian Horner have made reference to a performance-related clause in Verstappen’s contract.

And though Mercedes remains a potential destination, considering neither Russell nor Antonelli are contracted beyond F1 2025 as it stands, Chandhok had a word of warning for Verstappen.

“I think Red Bull have created a situation, perhaps, where Max has got a say on who is in the other car. Whereas at Mercedes, he may not have a say,” Chandhok told Sky F1.

Verstappen has developed a reputation for becoming something of a team-mate killer at Red Bull, the latest to fall lasting just two grands prix with Liam Lawson sent back to Racing Bulls and Yuki Tsunoda called up ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

And if Verstappen did join Mercedes, Chandhok thinks he knows which driver combination would stand out to Wolff.

“If you were Toto, and you had the option of George and Max, that’s an unbelievably strong line-up,” Chandhok continued. “Those are two drivers who have been consistently performing at the highest level for six months.”

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Russell has made an impressive start to F1 2025, making the podium at three of the opening four rounds, including nursing his Mercedes to a season-best P2 in Bahrain, Russell having battled through electrical and braking issues to make the chequered flag.

But, 18-year-old rookie Antonelli has also generally impressed at the start of his F1 career, and that has left Chandhok’s fellow Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle suggesting that Russell could be the driver in danger at Mercedes if Verstappen was up for grabs.

“I think if Max Verstappen sprung into the marketplace, I would be quite worried for George, actually, because Kimi is obviously their man for the future,” he stated.

“So there’s a lot of ifs in there.

“George is doing a great job for him as team leader, but Toto missed Max once, I don’t think that he’ll miss him a second time should he get the opportunity.”

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