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Rumours surrounding a potential move for Max Verstappen to McLaren for the 2027 F1 season have ramped up in recent months, but the reigning world champions could actually be the worst possible destination after departing from Red Bull.
Max Verstappen’s next career move will likely define the final act of his F1 career. He’s adamant that he will not be racing for as long as the likes of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, and has already threatened retirement in the past.
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With Red Bull’s internal stability painting quite a fractured picture at this moment in time, rumours originating from the F1 paddock point towards McLaren, the same outfit that will be acquiring the services of Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, in 2028.
On paper, it looks like a match made in heaven. However, in reality, choosing the British constructor would be the most short-sighted gamble of Verstappen’s career for one reason alone: McLaren are an engine customer on the F1 grid.
McLaren’s engine customer status would frustrate Max Verstappen even more than Red Bull’s current situation
As a Mercedes customer, McLaren buys its power units off the shelf. While regulations dictate equal hardware between buyer and supplier, engineers at Brixworth are building an engine with their own chassis in mind, and not that of their customers.
Toto Wolff never wanted McLaren as a customer in the first place, and it is no secret that the Austrian executive was put in front of the German manufacturer’s top brass to answer for McLaren’s dominance last year as Mercedes finished runners-up.
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The relationship between McLaren and Mercedes is already understood to be on a rocky footing, which will more than likely become even more fractured if McLaren are able to snag the same driver who Wolff has been pining for since the Dutchman stepped foot in an F1 car.
Not only that, but Verstappen would also become even more frustrated with the chain of command that comes with racing for a customer team. Mercedes’ power unit has been one of the most unreliable engines on the grid in 2026, and a solution is yet to come.
As the best engineering minds in the world work away in Brixworth, McLaren sit with their fingers crossed in hopes of receiving an engine that is able to even start a Grand Prix. The Chinese GP in March proved that fielding both cars, or even one for that matter, is not guaranteed.
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Saying that, McLaren have expressed an interest in potentially producing their own power units for the next cycle of engine regulations. While Red Bull seemingly aced it on their first attempt this year, lightning is unlikely to strike twice.
Red Bull managed to snag a multitude of Honda engineers when their Red Bull Powertrains division was kick-started in 2023. They brought with them years of experience and technical know-how. Of course, McLaren could do the same, but it is not that easy.
A decision from the four-time world champion on his future in F1 is expected to come before October, which has been reported to be the deadline for when his mind needs to be made up.
With all things considered, he may be better off staying at Red Bull rather than gambling on McLaren.
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