Commentator Martin Brundle has shared his thoughts on the rumors of a potential move by Max Verstappen to Mercedes. According to the former driver, it is highly unusual that current Mercedes driver George Russell still has no clarity about his future with the Silver Arrows halfway through the season. Brundle, therefore, suspects that there is more going on, and this could spell bad news for Russell’s future at Mercedes.
The rumor mill is also in full swing during the British Grand Prix, and the potential move of Max Verstappen to Mercedes remains a favorite topic of conversation. Current Mercedes driver George Russell, however, sees no danger and is confident that he will still be with the Silver Arrows in 2026. Commentator and former driver Martin Brundle, however, sees a much more gloomy picture for his compatriot.
“George Russell has not yet been announced as a driver for next year, and that is very unusual,” Brundle tells Sky Sports F1. “He is driving brilliantly for Mercedes. In addition, he has been active for Mercedes for a long time, and he is following well in the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton after his departure. It is very unusual that George still has no clarity halfway through the season. And no one – neither Mercedes nor Team Verstappen – categorically denies that Max Verstappen is talking to Mercedes. So, something is going on.”
‘George is in touch with other teams’
Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull until 2028, but Brundle doesn’t see how the Austrian racing team can retain the four-time world champion if he is not happy with the team. In addition, there is another reason for Mercedes to bring Verstappen on board. “From Mercedes’ perspective, a Verstappen switch would not only give them the fastest driver on the grid at the moment, it would also take him away from Red Bull. And if you were to remove Verstappen from Red Bull’s results over the past seasons, the situation would look pretty bleak,” he said.
If Verstappen indeed wants to make his debut at Mercedes, then one of the two current drivers, George Russell or Andrea Kimi Antonellli, must make way. Brundle sees Russell leaving before the Italian rookie. “I think Mercedes and especially Toto have invested so much in Kimi Antonelli as a future star and I know that George has been in touch with other teams. That’s understandable, because he needs to look around. A driver like him absolutely needs to be in Formula 1,” concludes Brundle.
