Red Bull ‘mutterings’ suggest they now have one issue with Max Verstappen that Mercedes move would resolve

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Rumours surrounding Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull have intensified about the departure of team principal Christian Horner last week.

Red Bull sacked Horner after 20 years in charge of the Milton Keynes outfit due to the team’s lack of performance in 2025. Verstappen had been calling for Horner’s powers to be limited as he has been dissatisfied with the RB21.

Sitting 69 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri at the halfway point of the 2025 season, the Dutchman has ruled himself out of the title fight. It has heightened speculation that he could look for a way out of Red Bull, as Mercedes ramp up their pursuit to sign Verstappen.

Toto Wolff is weighing up his options for the future, having yet to offer new deals to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes boss was in Sardinia at the same time as the four-time champion last week, with Ralf Schumacher saying ‘it’s no coincidence’ that Verstappen and Wolff were there together.

However, it has since come out that Wolff and Verstappen didn’t even meet in Sardinia. Many may think that Horner’s sacking would increase the 27-year-old’s chances of staying at Red Bull, but things could swing the other way.

Red Bull ‘mutterings’ suggest they feel the money they are spending on Max Verstappen is ‘unnecessary’

Verstappen is not expected to leave Red Bull until 2027, as he wants to assess the pecking order until the 2026 F1 regulations. Mercedes are backed to have the fastest engine, but that is not guaranteed until the cars hit the track.

Red Bull will become a works team next season with their partners Ford, as they hope they can provide a competitive package to convince Verstappen to stay. But as journalist Edd Straw notes, there are ‘mutterings’ within the team that they may be spending too much on the four-time champion.

He said via The Race YouTube channel: “The Verstappen influence has certainly played a part in fuelling this whole thing, but it is just one strand, isn’t it?

“And we’re yet to see… I mean, my initial reaction was that it meant that probably it would increase the chance of Verstappen staying now and then he looks to go for ’27.

“But you can also make a case that if he’s convinced that the ’26 power unit won’t be there. We’ve even heard mutterings that Red Bull might feel that the amount they’re spending on Max Verstappen is unnecessary.

“So, it could actually go both ways, it’s yet to play out fully.”

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A move to Mercedes would resolve Red Bull’s issue with Max Verstappen, but losing him would be a disaster

Verstappen is costing Red Bull up to £59m per season with his contract that runs until 2028. A switch to Mercedes would resolve the issue of overspending, but the team simply cannot afford to lose the Dutchman.

Horner is the latest key figure after Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley and Rob Marshall to leave the Milton Keynes outfit in recent months. Red Bull have been left in turmoil as a result, with the technical department struggling to find improvements under Pierre Wache.

The second car has only scored seven points this season, with Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda having struggled to find any performance out of the RB21. Red Bull would be bottom of the constructors’ championship without Verstappen, highlighting his importance for the team.

They will be desperate to keep hold of their star driver, and could be prepared to take drastic measures. Sensational reports have suggested that Red Bull could let Verstappen change the team name in order to keep him on board/