Max Verstappen now has ‘one foot’ in rival F1 team’s cockpit for the 2026 season as talks have ‘intensified’

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Max Verstappen has to decide whether to stick or twist at Red Bull in the next few weeks.

Red Bull Racing suffered the worst weekend imaginable at the Austrian Grand Prix as both of their drivers failed to score a point.

Max Verstappen was powerless to prevent Andrea Kimi Antonelli ending his race on the opening lap when he locked his brakes and used the Dutchman’s RB21 as a makeshift stopping aid.

Yuki Tsunoda finished the race in last place after clashes with Lance Stroll and Franco Colapinto, having failed to progress through Q1.

Both drivers’ futures are under discussion, with Tsunoda unlikely to be retained by Red Bull beyond the end of this season unless he seriously improves.

Verstappen’s contract runs until the end of 2028, but several teams are sniffing around trying to get him out of his current deal.

Journalist and commentator Felix Gorner believes that Verstappen is potentially closing in on a move to Mercedes ahead of next season.

It would shake up the F1 driver market completely and give fans even more reason to get excited about the next era of the sport when the regulations change for 2026.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Max Verstappen said to have ‘one foot in the Mercedes cockpit’ for the 2026 F1 season

Gorner was writing in his column for Sport.de in the aftermath of the race in Austria and said: “Max Verstappen has one foot in the Mercedes cockpit: this clear trend can now be seen.

“Talks are taking place and will be intensified in the coming weeks.

“Verstappen now sees the end of his involvement with Red Bull Racing as we approach the middle of the season.

“There is a lack of belief that the Red Bulls can come out of the downward spiral.

“The trend is clear: the haemorrhaging of the technical department, the problems in the aerodynamics division since the departure of Adrian Newey, this technical bloodletting and the associated lack of competitiveness mean that Verstappen will now also force his departure.

“The technical package and the prospect of winning titles again with the Silver Arrows is greater for Verstappen than with Red Bull.

“That’s why it makes sense for the Verstappen side to change.

“In any case, the Verstappen issue is super hot. And it means that Toto Wolff has to ask himself: Do I want two strong drivers in the team like Verstappen and George Russell, whose contract extension should be coming soon?

“He also recognises that you need two such strong drivers to compete with McLaren and Ferrari. So it would make sense.

“Toto Wolff is a man who likes to take risks. That’s why he wants to realise the Verstappen commitment.

“Payment will not be a problem. We know that Lewis Hamilton earned over 45 million dollars at Mercedes. So Verstappen will be affordable.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 Team from team principal to lineage

What would Red Bull do in 2026 if Max Verstappen decided to join Mercedes?

Verstappen joining Mercedes would create two immediate problems: who would partner him at the Silver Arrows, and how would Red Bull replace him?

Isack Hadjar is Red Bull’s favoured replacement for Tsunoda next season, but is nowhere near ready to step into the four-time world champion’s shoes.

Christian Horner could continue his chats with Russell if Verstappen replaced the British driver at Mercedes.

However, if it’s Antonelli who makes way at Mercedes, then suddenly Red Bull are left with a serious problem.

They’ll be doing everything they can to avoid the Dutchman moving on, but weekends like the one at the Red Bull Ring are unlikely to do them any favours.