Some Mercedes shareholders fear that ‘snatching’ Max Verstappen from Red Bull could be bad for their image

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Max Verstappen, a four-time Formula 1 world champion, may be available for the 2026 season. But signing him isn’t necessarily a no-brainer.

McLaren and Ferrari have four drivers under contract, and even if there was a vacancy, they may not trade one of their incumbents for Verstappen. Mercedes, the other member of F1’s big four, have yet to confirm either half of their 2026 line-up.

The suspicion is that Mercedes could let George Russell go to sign Verstappen. Russell has been one of the strongest drivers on the grid this year, winning in Canada and scoring five podiums.

He’s beaten Kimi Antonelli in almost every session, but Toto Wolff doesn’t want to sideline an exciting young talent so soon. The Austrian has repaired his relationship with Verstappen since a bitter 2021 title battle, but this remains a complicated pursuit.

Mercedes’ German owners ‘don’t like the idea’ of signing under-contract Max Verstappen

Speaking on the Motorsport Italy YouTube channel, journalist Franco Nugnes said Verstappen will have to pay a ‘significant penalty’ to escape his Red Bull contract. It’s unclear whether this still applies if he activates his performance-related exit clause.

But Mercedes are wary of the cost of signing Verstappen even if they don’t have to buy him out of his deal. At a time of cutbacks for the company as a whole, the optics of handing out a nine-figure contract may not sit right.

Mercedes is owned in equal parts by Wolff, who’s ‘obsessed’ with signing Verstappen, petrochemical giants INEOS, and the German car company. And there are some reservations in Stuttgart about signing a driver who’s under contract elsewhere.

Lewis Hamilton was a free agent when Mercedes signed him from McLaren at the end of 2012. That’s the way some of the shareholders would prefer to do business.

“He has a contract that’s valid until 2028,” Nugnes said. “He has to pay a significant penalty to leave.

“Despite what many are saying, that it was CEO Ola Kallenius who wanted Max, the Germans don’t like the idea of going and snatching a driver under contract from another team – not at all.

“This is the logic of a brand that talks to other brands. It’s a method that doesn’t interest them. Toto Wolff is chasing his dream, his obsession.”

Max Verstappen ‘spooked’ by rule change Red Bull have pursued for 2026

Verstappen’s ‘heart’ is telling him to stay at Red Bull for 2026, according to a report. But his ‘head’ says join Mercedes.

It’s a particularly brave time to change teams with seismic regulation changes looming. There is significant optimism, however, about Mercedes’ chances.

Having established a lasting advantage following the 2014 move to V6 hybrids, the Silver Arrows are confident that they lead the way again with the revised 2026 power units. The engines will be 50% electric next year.

Red Bull have pushed for a more powerful ICE, which has ‘spooked’ Verstappen. They wouldn’t necessarily want the 50/50 balance to be changed unless they were struggling to meet targets with their battery.