F1 2026: Max Verstappen 'looking for Mercedes move' as pressure ramps up on Russell and Antonelli

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Max Verstappen

Verstappen 'looking for Mercedes F1 move' as pressure ramps up on Russell and Antonelli

Max Verstappen has had a poor start to 2026

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 24 March 2026 20:27 Updated: 20:31

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Four-time world champion Max Verstappen will be 'looking for a way to get into that Mercedes', according to F1 pundit Jolyon Palmer.

Verstappen has been linked with a move to Mercedes in each of the last two seasons, with Toto Wolff publicly pursuing his services.

However, the Dutchman opted to stay at Red Bull, and before the start of this season he reiterated his commitment to stay with the Milton Keynes-based outfit at least until the end of his current contract, which runs until 2028.

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But Red Bull have had a disastrous start to the season, with Verstappen only picking up eight points from the opening two race weekends.

Mercedes, on the other hand, look to be the dominant team in the sport in 2026, having claimed one-twos in both grand prix qualifying sessions and both grands prix so far.

Their drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli appear to be in a battle for the drivers' championship, with all their other rivals lagging behind.

That has led to yet more rumours that Verstappen may want to leave his Red Bull team for Mercedes ahead of the 2027 season, with former F1 racer Palmer suggesting that Russell and Antonelli could still be under pressure to keep their seats.

"It's a great point, it will," Palmer said on the F1 Nation podcast when asked if the threat of Verstappen will increase the tension between Russell and Antonelli. "And the conversation is going to happen, because Red Bull as we said this last year, will not win the title this year, and I was right in the end last year by two points, they've got way too much work to do.

"Max is not here to finish eighth in qualifying. He's not here to not even fight for a podium. He's going to be looking at a way to get into that Mercedes, because they have the best car.

"They will, at the very least be in the mix for being champions for the next couple of years as well. And if you're Toto, you've got a chance to sign Max, you've got the threat of other teams closing in. So your built-in advantage at the start of this year is only going to get smaller.

"You can't ignore the fact that you have Max Verstappen calling. And we saw already those conversations happen last year. And there was a bit of tension. And even was it, I think, Austria, where to you TC [Tom Clarkson]in the press conference, George was like, 'Well, hang on, why are we talking that he replaces me. I'm beating Kimi all the time, so he should be worried'. So imagine there's the title looming and that in the background."

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Russell signed a new contract with Mercedes last year, but it took until October for both parties to confirm the deal, despite the fact that Russell was arguably having his best season to date in the sport.

The Brit suggested that it was a multi-year deal, but no official timeframe has been put on either his or team-mate Antonelli's contracts.

It's being reported that there is a clause in Russell's contract which would mean that he may have to make way, should Verstappen be available for Mercedes to sign.

It's what has led 1996 world champion Damon Hill to recently claim that Russell's seat at Mercedes is 'temporary', even if he wins the 2026 drivers' championship.

Hill would know a thing or two about that. He was displaced from his seat at Williams immediately after claiming 1996 championship success, with the Grove outfit opting for Heinz-Harald Frentzen instead.

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F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes George Russell Kimi Antonelli