McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown suggests Max Verstappen is “carrying” Red Bull Racing at the moment. The team has been severely underperforming, and the most points have come from the Dutchman so far in the season.
Red Bull’s performance began declining last season as McLaren grew stronger on the grid. Yet, Verstappen was able to lead the Drivers’ Championship given his earlier victories. However, nearing the end, MCL was able to take the lead from RBR and won the Constructors’ Championship. The team was quick to terminate Sergio Perez’s contract, considering his subpar performance to be the reason for the downfall.
However, his replacement, Liam Lawson, was dropped after just two races this year. Red Bull then signed Yuki Tsunoda. But he hasn’t been performing well, either. Verstappen is no longer a strong contender for the championship as well.
Amidst this, McLaren Racing’s CEO, Zak Brown, mentioned that the team would be behind their junior team, Racing Bulls, if it weren’t for Verstappen’s driving.
“Red Bull would be behind Racing Bulls [without Verstappen]. They have done a great job and have a great racing car. I think Max is carrying them at the moment,” he said (via Sky Sports).
The team currently stands in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship. This is the worst they have performed since Verstappen won his first title in the 2021 season. Moreover, this performance has also sparked a rumor that he would move to Mercedes in the 2026 F1 season.
Reports claim Mercedes in contact with Max Verstappen for the 2026 season
The Austrian GP ended without any points for Red Bull after Verstappen’s early DNF and a subpar performance from his teammate. Speculations around the paddock claimed that Verstappen’s exit clause with the team was activated after the race.
He is currently tied with Red Bull till the 2028 season; however, Sky Italia reported that Mercedes is in contact with him for next season. This would be the first year with the new engine and aerodynamic regulations, possibly reshuffling the grid in terms of performance.
Reports also claimed that the Brackley-based outfit would be willing to sacrifice George Russell to sign Verstappen and pair him with Andrea Kimi Antonelli. This comes as a shock, as Russell is one of the more consistent and competitive drivers on the grid. He has brought multiple victories to Mercedes since 2022.
However, none of the reports have been confirmed. Mercedes has a strong lineup currently, and the team wouldn’t want to shake that up heading into the new season with a completely new car.
