McLaren boss Zak Brown says Max Verstappen could quit Red Bull for Mercedes

The F1 off-contract silly circus could go into overdrive with a rival boss predicting four-time world champion Max Verstappen will quit Red Bull.

McLaren boss Zak Brown has predicted the F1 off contract silly circus will produce the biggest shock of all-time in 2025, claiming Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen will move to Mercedes next year.

With Brown’s McLaren team flying high as the team to beat in 2025 the outspoken American is no longer holding back on his views, happy to stoke the rivalry with Red Bull and fan the flames of speculation of driver movement that has become the biggest talking point in recent years.

And when it comes to driver movement, there is no bigger name in the paddock and with both Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli off contract in 2025 Brown believes the Dutch four-times world champion will be high on their target list.

“Oh I think he’ll leave at the end of this year. Most likely to Merc (Mercedes),” Brown told The UK Telegraph.

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“There’s been talk of Aston Martin, too, with Adrian Newey joining. But as great as Adrian is – and he’s the greatest ever – you need a whole team around you.”

Brown says Verstappen will look to position himself with the strongest team possible in 2026 as F1 moves into a new era of regulations.

With Max Verstappen at the helm, Red Bull have been F1’s dominant force. Picture: Getty

And while Red Bull started reasonably well with Verstappen second at the Australian Grand Prix last weekend, many believe Mercedes will be the team in the strongest position under the new engine regulations next season/

“If I was betting, I’d bet on Merc,” Brown said of Verstappen’s future.

“In the last 10 years, they’ve won the championship seven or eight times. Last year they won five (sic four) races. They have stability. We know Toto likes him. And I think we all feel HPP (Mercedes High Performance Powertrains) is best-equipped on the power unit side heading into the new engine regulations next year.”

Originally published as McLaren boss Zak Brown says Max Verstappen could quit Red Bull for Mercedes