Brundle suspects ‘something is up’ in Verstappen-Mercedes intrigue

Amid mounting speculation surrounding Max Verstappen’s potential switch to Mercedes and the uncertain future of George Russell, Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle believes the situation is far from settled – and something big might be brewing behind the scenes.

The latest firestorm was lit by a Sky Italy report claiming that Verstappen is in “concrete negotiations” with Mercedes and has already “said yes” to team principal Toto Wolff’s offer. While it’s alleged that the German manufacturer’s board has yet to greenlight a final move, whispers about a blockbuster deal are swirling.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Brundle chimed in on the strange tension surrounding Russell’s yet-to-be-renewed contract – and the Dutchman’s uncertain Red Bull future.

“I think George is nervous! He’s ringing around a little bit,” Brundle said.

“There is no smoke without fire. 2026 is massive, it’s the biggest change ever in Formula 1 with the chassis and power unit. You’d guess that Mercedes will be there or thereabouts. Can Max get out of his contract? Something is up…”

With Russell’s contract expiring at the end of the season and Mercedes stalling on an extension despite his strong form – including a win in Canada – questions are inevitably growing louder.

The Exit Clause Mystery

Verstappen’s deal with Red Bull runs through 2028 but includes a performance-related exit clause –though the exact conditions remain under lock and key.

Some reports claim that if the reigning champion is not in the top four of the standings by the summer break, he could trigger an escape. Others believe that deadline has already passed, which would effectively seal him into the Red Bull fold.

At present, Verstappen sits third in the drivers’ standings, 61 points behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, and just nine ahead of Mercedes' Russell. With 83 points up for grabs before the summer break, Verstappen's position may not yet be guaranteed.

Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater weighed in on the contract clause confusion:

“There is some speculation that he could trigger a release clause in his contract if he falls down the standings,” Slater explained.

“One or two outlets were reporting that he only needs to be outside of the top two, by the summer break, to do that. That is not my understanding.

“I’ve been consistently reporting that he needs to be outside of the top four. That’s my information from pretty credible sources and that’s what I understand to be the case.”

Read also:

• Sky Italia drops F1 bombshell: Verstappen says ‘Yes’ to Mercedes!

Slater also noted that even if Verstappen wanted to leave, “an offer potentially in excess of £100 million” would be required to buy him out of his current deal.

Despite all the noise, Slater remains skeptical of an immediate Verstappen departure.

“I still think, like Toto Wolff, that it is extremely unlikely that Verstappen will be going away from Red Bull at the end of the season to Mercedes or Aston Martin but let’s see.”

Red Bull Still Downplaying Exit Talk

Both Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and motorsport advisor Helmut Marko have repeatedly dismissed the current speculation, standing firm on the team’s position.

Horner brushed off the conjecture as “noise”, insisting Red Bull is “very clear with the contract that we have with Max until 2028”.

Speaking last weekend in Austria in the wake of Verstappen’s opening lap elimination, Marko was unsurprised by the speculation ramping up.

“I assume people will use a race like this to stir things up,” he said. “But again, Verstappen has a contract through 2028. Like all top drivers, there are performance-based exit clauses – but as things currently stand, there is absolutely no reason that this contract won’t be fulfilled.”

Still, Brundle’s remarks – and the timing of the Sky Italy report – add intrigue to a silly season that’s beginning to look very serious.

As the Formula 1 paddock heads into the thick of the summer, the future of two of the grid’s biggest names could be decided behind closed doors. And in Brundle’s view, the smoke might yet lead to a fire.

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