McLaren CEO Zak Brown has stirred fresh speculation around Max Verstappen’s future, suggesting the Dutch star is most likely to land at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team if he ever leaves Red Bull Racing.
Verstappen’s future has been under the spotlight for months, and the latest developments have only added fuel to the fire. His long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, is set to move to McLaren, a shift that raised eyebrows given their close working relationship over the years.
That connection alone was enough to spark talk of Verstappen potentially following Gianpiero Lambiase. Add to that his reported dissatisfaction with upcoming F1 regulations and Red Bull’s inconsistent start to the season, and the uncertainty starts to look real.
Still, Zak Brown isn’t buying into the idea of Verstappen joining McLaren anytime soon.
He said, “From McLaren’s point of view, I couldn’t be happier with Lando [Norris] and Oscar [Piastri].”
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“We have long-term agreements with them, and I think it’s the greatest driver pairing on and off the track. So we have no intention of replacing any of our two superstars.”
McLaren Boss On Max Verstappen
When asked about Max Verstappen’s value in the market. If a seat ever opened up, he admitted the Dutchman would be a major signing for any team.
But when it came to predicting Max Verstappen’s next move, Zak Brown was clear.
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“You know, obviously, if one were to go away, then yeah, Max is a huge talent, but I’m not anticipating that,” he added. “Where might he go? If I had to bet, I’d say to Mercedes.”
The comment puts the spotlight back on Toto Wolff and his long-standing interest in Max Verstappen. With Mercedes still searching for long-term dominance in the current era, a move like this would instantly shake up the grid.
For now, it remains speculation. But in Formula 1, where contracts, performance, and politics collide, things can change fast. And when someone like Zak Brown makes a call like this, the paddock listens.
Also Read: Is McLaren Already Lining Up the Next Lando Norris Sensation?
