Riccardo Patrese predicts Mercedes 2027 move for Max Verstappen alongside reigning F1 champion. Riccardo Patrese believes the 2026 Formula 1 title fight is between George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

According to the former driver, the 2026 championship is a battle between Russell and Antonelli

Patrese: the title fight is between Russell and Antonelli

After securing four consecutive Formula 1 world titles and defending his crown right up to the final meters in Abu Dhabi—while still recording the highest number of Grand Prix victories during the season, with eight wins—Max Verstappen now finds himself in relative obscurity due to a Red Bull car that is currently far from the front in terms of overall competitiveness and performance.

“Verstappen is not happy because he knows that Red Bull is a long way behind the frontrunners,” said Riccardo Patrese in an interview with Grosvenor Casino. “Even in terms of the power unit, Red Bull and Ford still have a lot of ground to cover.”

According to the former Formula 1 driver, Max Verstappen could still potentially make a move to Mercedes in 2027. While Toto Wolff has downplayed this possibility, and Juan Pablo Montoya is convinced that Max has already made contact with the Mercedes team principal, Patrese believes that if such a move were to happen, Verstappen would find the reigning world champion as his teammate in the garage.

Patrese is convinced that the 2026 Formula 1 world championship will be decided between George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli: “Kimi and Russell both have the chance to win the championship. One of the two will be world champion this season. If Max wants to go to Mercedes—and I think he can do it because he is still the best driver in Formula 1—then whoever will be his teammate at that point will be the reigning world champion. We will see whether it will be Russell or Kimi.”