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McLaren CEO Zak Brown has given his opinion on Max Verstappen's future in Formula 1, believing that the Dutchman will say goodbye to Red Bull after the 2025 season and move to Mercedes. Brown believes that this would be a logical step for Verstappen, given the upcoming changes to the regulations that will come into effect in 2026. Mercedes, according to him, has the best resources to successfully adapt to the new conditions that will shape the future of F1.
Verstappen will try to make history in 2025, winning his fifth consecutive title with Red Bull. However, although he has continued to dominate in recent seasons, McLaren has already shown serious ambitions at the beginning of 2023, especially in Australia where they dominated qualifying, and Lando Norris, in a thrilling finish on a wet track, managed to beat Verstappen.
After the race, the Dutch driver was realistic in his assessment of the situation, admitting that Red Bull's RB21 did not have enough speed to win.
"I think second place is good compared to the teams behind us, but we had a big gap in the early part of the race. When the tyres overheated, we had no chance," said Max, adding that he was pleased to finish second, although they knew they still had a lot of work to do to be competitive for wins again.
Brown: Mercedes is stable
Although Verstappen and Red Bull have dominated in recent years, a recent dip in form has sparked speculation about the Dutchman's possible departure. There have been rumours that Verstappen could move to Mercedes or Aston Martin, and Brown is confident that Verstappen will choose the German team for the 2026 season, when a new generation of engines and chassis will arrive.
Brown added that while Aston Martin is attracting Verstappen through its collaboration with Adrian Newey, Mercedes would be a better option to win new titles.
"Mercedes is stable, they have already proven their strength in previous seasons and have the best prepared HPP division for the upcoming changes," concluded Brown.
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