Max Verstappen again linked with sensational Mercedes move as Red Bull suffer China crisis

Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen again linked with sensational Mercedes move as Red Bull suffer China crisis

Max Verstappen has been linked with a move to Mercedes again

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 14 March 2026 21:55

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Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen is again being linked with a blockbusting transfer to Mercedes as Red Bull suffer a Chinese Grand Prix crisis in Shanghai this weekend.

The 28-year-old Dutchman is acclaimed by most pundits as the best driver on the grid, despite struggling so far in 2026 as the sport's controversial new regulations hit Red Bull hard.

This weekend in China has been a 'disaster' for Verstappen (his own description) as he lurches from miserable session to miserable session.

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These early-season struggles once again raise the spectre of a possible move away from the Milton Keynes team, as early as 2027.

Verstappen reportedly has an exit clause in his Red Bull deal which kicks in if he is outside the top three in the drivers' standings at the summer break. Right now that appears a significant possibility.

It is against this background that former Ferrari F1 general manager Peter Windsor has once again raked up rumours of a stunning move to Mercedes.

Verstappen to Mercedes is back

Verstappen has been linked with a move to the Brackley-based outfit in each of the last two seasons, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff publicly pursuing the services of the Dutchman.

But Verstappen confirmed last summer that he would be staying at Red Bull for the 2026 season, and he even stated before the start of this year that he wants to end his career with his current team.

Nevertheless, Mercedes' brilliant start to the 2026 season - claiming a 1-2 at the Australian Grand Prix - has led to belief that they could be set to dominate the sport this year amid the new regulations overhaul.

And that has led to renewed rumours about four-time world champion Verstappen and his loyalty to Red Bull, whom he is contracted with until the end of the 2028 season.

Windsor believes that he could end up at Mercedes for 2027, with Russell or Kimi Antonelli making way for the four-time world champion.

"We've been talking about this for eighteen months: will Max go to Mercedes?," Windsor posed on the CameronCC YouTube channel.

"Suppose Max hasn't signed anywhere by September, not even with Red Bull. And suppose George Russell is on his way to the world title at that time. Then Toto Wolff calls and says: George is going to Ferrari and you can drive alongside Antonelli at Mercedes."

How long will Verstappen race in F1?

Verstappen's many racing exploits have led to rumours that he could leave F1 as soon as his early 30s, with it being evident that he loves racing outside of F1 as well as in it.

While winning eight grands prix in F1 last year (more than any other driver), Verstappen also won on his GT3 debut at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.

Verstappen has also competed in some high-level sim racing events, including famously the 24 Hours of Spa on the same weekend as the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.

In a tantalising prospect, Verstappen also recently teased teaming up with fellow F1 legends Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel in a potential future bid for Le Mans glory in endurance racing.

On top of all of this, Verstappen owns his own successful GT Racing team, now called Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing for the 2026 season, which he will contest at this year's Nurburgring 24 Hours.

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F1 Max Verstappen Mercedes Peter Windsor