In a Formula 1 paddock where every whisper can turn into a sensational headline, the rumors about Max Verstappen’s supposed move to Mercedes for the 2026 season were dismissed by Martin Brundle as pure “clickbait.” The former F1 driver and current Sky F1 UK commentator considered the Dutch driver’s decision to stay at Red Bull almost obvious, emphasizing how the reality was far from the fanciful reconstructions circulating in the last month, all of which had a very specific starting point.
It was the evening of July 1st, around 11 p.m., when on Sky Sport Italia, Davide Camicioli unusually interrupted the news roundup and announced almost as a certainty Max Verstappen’s transfer to Mercedes. After that evening, for nearly a month, all sorts of theories spread, fueled by circumstantial evidence and coincidences, but ultimately totally incorrect.
At the following Belgian Grand Prix, during the usual Thursday press conference, Verstappen was surrounded by dozens of journalists (including us from formula1.it), all ready to capture either the most sensational news or the most categorical denial. Neither arrived, and only on the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix did the four-time world champion put an end to the rumors, confirming he will race with the Milton Keynes-based team in 2026. This choice aligns with Christian Horner’s planned departure and the team’s clear intention to become increasingly Verstappen-centered (a more radical transformation in the coming years cannot be excluded).
A month of rumors and big headlines
What happened before, the disproportionate media attention on every move and every whisper about Verstappen, was heavily criticized by Brundle. At one point, the rumors escalated uncontrollably when the media reported a supposed meeting in Sardinia between Toto Wolff and Max Verstappen, complete with photos of their yachts moored side by side. Brundle dismantled that narrative: “If they wanted to meet, they could have just crossed the street in Monaco, where they both live. It was all staged on the internet and pure clickbait.”
For Brundle, Verstappen’s continuation at Red Bull was “clear as day”: “The team would never have made internal decisions without ensuring Max would stay. He has chosen multiple times not to confirm anything, but it was obvious.”
An earthquake in a house of cards that obviously had consequences in the real world too, for example on the calm of our Kimi Antonelli, who saw his future at Mercedes become uncertain (as did George Russell). But there is obviously some truth, a concrete interest confirmed by Toto Wolff himself and others. Because of this, the future beyond 2026 remains an unknown. With the debut of new power units and chassis, the technical scenario is unpredictable. Brundle foresees that in 2027 Verstappen might have the chance to evaluate all the big teams (except McLaren, already covered), with potential seats open at Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Aston Martin: “The future is murkier than ever, nobody knows who will get the project right.”
For now, then, no revolutions: Verstappen remains the cornerstone of Red Bull, while the bar talk remains just that… background noise useful only to fill easy headlines.
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