“It’s plan B”: Fans react as Max Verstappen to Mercedes saga takes a new turn after new report

As Formula 1 braces for the 2026 regulation changes, speculation around Max Verstappen's future continues to intensify. The four-time world champion, under contract with Red Bull Racing until 2028, is reportedly keeping his options open amid growing uncertainty within the team.

Recent developments have fueled chatter that Verstappen may move to Mercedes in the near future. While many assumed he could exit as soon as 2025, fresh insights from De Telegraaf's Erik van Haren and Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz suggest otherwise.

According to these latest reports, Verstappen could stay at Red Bull through the 2026 season. The Dutch F1 reporter Van Haren's report was shared by RRB Daily on X (formerly Twitter), stating:

"🚨 Max's talks with Toto Wolff in the background doesn't mean a transfer to Mercedes after this season is definitely in the pipeline as per @ErikvHaren"

Fans didn't hold back in offering their thoughts on the report. With 2026 set to usher in radical changes to F1 car design and engine regulations, Max Verstappen could be positioning himself as an observer before making a decisive career move, as one fan wrote:

"It's plan B"

While Max may remain at Red Bull for now, if the team's post-Horner leadership or GM's new engine project falters, a 2027 switch to Mercedes remains very much on the table. Some fans, however, were unimpressed by the approach.

"So, he's willing to risk losing another Driver's WC (2026). Understood," wrote one fan. "Nothing's certain with Merc. But staying with a new, vulnerable engine developer makes no sense," wrote another. "Red Bull is a disaster. Next year is the same," wrote yet another.

Others were simply relieved he isn't jumping ship yet.

One fan hinted at the larger implications for Mercedes' driver lineup, quipping:

"Explanation: Mercedes extended Russell's contract."

The reports also noted that nothing concrete has emerged from talks with Mercedes and Toto Wolff. And Max Verstappen will decide on his long-term future once he's observed how the next generation of engines performs across the field.

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Max Verstappen likely to stay in 2026 as F1 enters a crucial turning point: Reports

(L-R) Liam Lawson, Red Bull Technical Director - Pierre Wache, Max Verstappen, and Laurent Mekies at Miami. Source: Getty

As things stand, Max Verstappen is losing grip on the Formula 1 drivers' title. He is 69 points behind Oscar Piastri, with 58 points up for grabs across the Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix before the summer break. McLaren has dominated so far with a 288-point lead on Red Bull.

Meanwhile, the internal storm at Red Bull began with Christian Horner's abrupt dismissal, ending a 20-year tenure that oversaw Verstappen's rise. While Max paid tribute to Horner on social media, his father Jos had long been critical, warning in 2024 that Red Bull would collapse if Horner remained. Now, the team is navigating a new chapter under team boss Laurent Mekies.

Ted Kravitz shared an intriguing discussion with Horner after a Sky Sports broadcast:

"He said 'there's no guarantee Mercedes will be the best engine next year, what people need to do is see what happens in 2026 then decide for 2027'... if Oliver Mintzlaff thinks they have brought Max's services for next year by getting rid of Horner, in 2027 they could have lost Verstappen and Horner, then be in an even worse place."

Verstappen's long-term contract may suggest stability, but a performance clause and his dominant position in the sport give him the leverage to wait. As the summer break nears, it's likely the Dutchman's camp will use the results from Spa and Hungary to reassess before heading into key negotiations behind closed doors.

Max Verstappen may not have fully committed to Red Bull's future or abandoned it, keeping 'Plan B' well within reach.

Edited by Tushar Bahl