Max Verstappen Explains Silence Amid Mercedes Rumors After Meeting Toto Wolff
Why it matters: Max Verstappen has finally addressed the prolonged rumors linking him to Mercedes for the 2026 F1 season, explaining his decision to remain silent publicly despite intense speculation.
The context: The reigning four-time World Champion, officially under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, was heavily rumored for a move to Mercedes before the F1 summer break. These rumors intensified after he was seen on holiday with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff last week in Sardinia. George Russell had previously fueled the speculation by suggesting negotiations were "ongoing" to bring Verstappen to Mercedes, though Russell himself is now close to a new multi-year contract extension with Mercedes.
Verstappen's take: Verstappen dismissed the need to comment publicly on the rumors, stating it made "no sense" and was "a bit of a waste of time." He emphasized his full focus on the 2026 regulations with Red Bull.
- "There’s always other people speaking a lot, while I’m not really talking, because first of all I don’t need to, I don’t need to say anything."
- "It makes no sense anyway, it’s a bit of a waste of time."
- "But for me I’m very focused on ’26 with the team, to look ahead and make sure that we nail the regulations, and that we are competitive from the start."
Red Bull's current state: Despite their previous success, Verstappen acknowledges that Red Bull is in a "slight rebuilding" phase, especially after only securing two victories so far in F1 2025. He expects to lose his World Championship title to one of the dominant McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris, this year. He believes this rebuilding involves a "restructuring" and a deeper "understanding of what’s going on."
What's next: Red Bull is set to produce its own engines for the first time in 2026 via its Powertrains division, collaborating with Ford. Current supplier Honda will move to Aston Martin. The recently departed Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has tempered expectations for the RBPT-Ford engine in its inaugural season, suggesting it would be "embarrassing" for rival manufacturers if Red Bull-Ford produces a better engine on the first attempt.