Max Verstappen has a contractual agreement with Red Bull until the conclusion of the 2028 Formula 1 season. The potential move to Mercedes has been a topic of speculation since the commencement of the 2024 season. The controversy surrounding the situation, along with internal power struggles and politics, has only added to the speculation. Many team principals are closely watching Verstappen, and his father has left the door open for possibilities due to his dissatisfaction with the controversy surrounding Red Bull. However, it has been acknowledged that Verstappen is intelligent enough to not make a hasty decision to leave his current team.
Red Bull has been consistently successful in Formula 1 for the past few years. With their competitive RB20 car this year, they show no signs of slowing down. Considering this, it would not be in Verstappen’s best interest to depart from Red Bull. Despite the rumors, there is no concrete evidence of a meeting between Verstappen and Mercedes during the upcoming Miami GP weekend. It has been reported that Mercedes is prepared to offer an astonishing £128m per year to secure the Dutchman’s services. However, Mercedes team principal has clarified that the ongoing unrest within Red Bull was the main catalyst for the speculation. He also mentioned that while he would love to have Verstappen, the timing is not right, as they would need to provide him with a car that matches his potential.