Formula 1 Pundit Jolyon Palmer has revealed that talks between Max Verstappen and Mercedes for the 2027 season are all but inevitable.
Red Bull has enjoyed a less-than-competitive start to F1’s new 2026 regulations, struggling for pace in the opening two rounds.
Verstappen in particular has been beset by problems, recovering to sixth in Australia from a back of the grid start following a dramatic Q1 crash.
Faring little better in China, the Dutchman was forced to retire late in Sunday’s race due to a coolant issue, leaving him eighth in the championship.
Red Bull’s problems have led to speculation that Verstappen could abandon ship to Mercedes, given its dominant start to the season, Palmer believing this is almost an inevitability.
“The conversation is going to happen because Red Bull, we said this last year, but they will not win the title this year,” Palmer told the F1 Nation podcast.
“I was right in the end last year by two points. They look like they’ve got way too much work to do, and Max is not here to finish eighth in qualifying. He’s not here to not even fight for a podium.”
Mercedes “Can’t ignore” the allure of Max Verstappen
Palmer highlighted that Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff will be placed into a difficult position, and could create further tension in what looks set to be a dominant campaign for the Silver Arrows.
“He’s going to be looking at a way to get into that Mercedes because they have the best car. They will, at the very least, be in the mix for being champions for the next couple of years as well.
“And if you’re Toto, you’ve got a chance to sign Max, you’ve got the threat of other teams closing in. So your built-in advantage at the start of this year is only going to get smaller.
“You can’t ignore the fact that you’ve got Max Verstappen calling, and we saw already those conversations happen last year, and there was a bit of tension. It was Austria where in the press conference, George was like, ‘Well, hang on, why are we all talking that he’d replace me? I’m beating Kimi all the time. So, he should be worried.’
“So, imagine there’s the title looming and that in the background.”
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