Source:REUTERS/FRANCK ROBICHON
[Saba Sports News] As the picture for the 2026 season has become clearer, speculation about Max Verstappen’s future has intensified. With Red Bull’s competitiveness noticeably declining, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes the four-time world champion could seriously consider moving to Mercedes. In recent years Verstappen and Red Bull enjoyed near-total dominance, which cooled transfer rumors. But after failing to defend his title in 2025 and showing lackluster form in the opening two rounds of 2026, Red Bull’s downward trend has drawn widespread attention. By contrast, Mercedes has rapidly risen under the new regulations, winning the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix and re-establishing itself as a championship contender. Palmer says Verstappen would not accept being stuck outside the front-running fight long-term—he is not someone who would struggle around the points cutoff—so if an opportunity arose to join the currently most competitive team, he would give it serious consideration. In Palmer’s view, Mercedes not only has the strongest car platform right now but also the championship potential for the coming years, which is attractive to any top driver.
The editor believes that if Verstappen’s move were to materialize, Mercedes would face a difficult internal decision. In the current lineup George Russell is in the ascending phase of his career and has shown consistent performance this season, while young Andrea Kimi Antonelli is seen as a future star, having taken his first career win at the Chinese Grand Prix. Choosing between immediate competitiveness and long-term potential would be a major challenge for Mercedes’ management.