Max Verstappen encouraged to make an ‘unbelievable’ move as Red Bull driver is ‘in talks’ about a secret swap deal
A former Formula 1 race winner has encouraged Max Verstappen to consider switching teams after the 2026 season, following reports that talks about a surprising move are underway. Verstappen, a four-time world champion, has expressed frustration with this season’s new rules and even hinted he might quit racing. His main problem is with the 50/50 split between combustion and electric power, which means drivers have to rely more on battery power during laps. On long straights, the battery runs low, causing the car to slow down unexpectedly—a problem Verstappen calls “super-clipping.”
Last month, Verstappen said continuing in F1 wouldn’t be possible if a proposed change to make the split 60/40 in favor of combustion power doesn’t go ahead. Besides these issues, Red Bull’s performance has been shaky this season, and Verstappen has only one podium finish—a third place in Canada. He has faced several technical problems too, including a brake failure that made him crash in Monaco qualifying and an engine failure that forced him out after just one lap of the Monaco Grand Prix, despite qualifying second.
Rumors about Verstappen leaving Red Bull have been around since last season. Now, the Daily Mail reports that he might follow his long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, to McLaren. Lambiase plans to leave Red Bull by 2028 at the latest to become McLaren’s head of engineering. There are said to be “early talks” about Verstappen joining McLaren to race alongside Lando Norris.
If a deal happens, Oscar Piastri might move to Red Bull in a swap as soon as next year, which could mean Verstappen joins McLaren before Lambiase even arrives. Both Piastri and Norris have long contracts with McLaren, so details about any fees are still unclear. Last season, Piastri, Norris, and Verstappen were in a tight fight for the Drivers’ Championship, which Norris won by just two points after finishing third in Abu Dhabi, while Verstappen was going for his fifth straight title.
Juan Pablo Montoya, who won seven Grands Prix with Williams and McLaren between 2001 and 2006, thinks Piastri “could fill the Max Verstappen gap” at Red Bull. But he also hopes Verstappen might do something amazing by joining Mercedes instead, replacing George Russell. Montoya said that having Verstappen and Mercedes’ rising star Kimi Antonelli on the same team would be like having legendary rivals Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost together—a dream lineup, but one that could bring some challenges.
“It would be an unbelievable story. Imagine how cool that would be for us fans,” Montoya said. “But also, it could cause some headaches with managing two big personalities. Still, from the outside, it’d be a dream team to watch.”