Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has openly expressed his profound relief as the pervasive rumors linking star driver Max Verstappen to a sensational move to Mercedes in 2026 have finally subsided. This widespread speculation, which had dominated Formula 1 headlines, was, according to Marko, significantly “fuelled” by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, adding an unnecessary layer of tension to an already competitive environment.
Marko did not mince words, directly pointing the finger at his Austrian compatriot, Toto Wolff, for allegedly fanning the flames of these persistent whispers. The Red Bull advisor vehemently stressed that the entire notion of Max Verstappen departing Red Bull Racing for Mercedes in the 2026 season was utterly “nonsensical” from the outset, highlighting the lack of logical basis for such a transfer given the current landscape and future prospects.
Mirroring the previous year’s intense speculation, the rumor mill had once again gone into overdrive regarding a monumental F1 2026 switch for Max Verstappen from his dominant Red Bull Racing team to rival Mercedes F1. This ongoing narrative emerged even as Verstappen continued to solidify his position as a championship contender, though discussions about his future became a recurring distraction for the team.
The current Mercedes driver George Russell inadvertently reignited the Verstappen to Mercedes F1 discussion, publicly claiming that “ongoing” talks between both parties were impacting his own negotiations for a new deal. Neither Toto Wolff nor Max Verstappen offered a categorical denial, which only served to intensify the already feverish speculation amongst fans and pundits alike, leaving many questions unanswered.
A significant factor contributing to the rumors was a performance-related exit clause reportedly embedded within Max Verstappen’s contract, which many believed could be triggered if he fell to fourth or lower in the Drivers’ Championship after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Helmut Marko specifically called out Toto Wolff for exploiting this detail, accusing him of deliberately adding more fuel to the speculative fire and creating an unnecessary media circus around the Formula 1 paddock.
However, with only one Grand Prix remaining before the crucial summer break, Max Verstappen enters the Hungarian Grand Prix with a commanding 28-point lead over George Russell, who sits in fourth position. Given that a maximum of 25 points are available for a race win, this crucial championship buffer means the aforementioned performance clause can no longer be activated this year based on the current standings, effectively silencing that particular avenue of speculation.
Beyond driver contracts and team principals, Red Bull Racing faces its own monumental challenge for the 2026 season: the debut of the Red Bull Powertrains-Ford engine. With current power unit supplier Honda switching allegiances to Aston Martin, Red Bull is embarking on the ambitious journey of becoming an engine manufacturer for the very first time, a venture fraught with both immense potential and significant risks.
Considering these sweeping regulatory and technical changes expected for F1 2026, which could dramatically reshuffle the pecking order across the grid, Helmut Marko firmly believes that it would be entirely illogical for Max Verstappen to commit to a new team without first observing the initial outcomes. As Marko succinctly put it, “Because it’s a blank slate: nobody knows who has the best engine or the best chassis. There are many parameters where things can go wrong.”
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