Former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes that Max Verstappen may re-enter talks with Mercedes about a potential switch, after hot rumours about a union between the two last year.
The Dutchman was at the centre of longstanding speculation across the summer of 2025, with George Russell making the initial revelation that the Silver Arrows were engaging in conversations with Verstappen.
With Verstappen, at that stage, struggling in the Drivers’ Championship, it was predicted that he would indeed make the jump.
But with Red Bull recovering its season, and Verstappen amassing a huge points haul in the second half of the season to take the title to the wire, it was decided that he would stay with the Milton Keynes-based squad and led it into the new regulations cycle.
With three races down this season, Red Bull is, as per its initial predictions, struggling to keep up with its frontrunner rivals, with Mercedes currently the class of the field.
And speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Palmer was certain that fresh talks would take place between Verstappen and Toto Wolf.
“The conversation is going to happen because Red Bull, we said this last year, but they will not win the title this year,” he said.
“I was right in the end last year – by two points! They look like they’ve got way too much work to do.
“Max is not here to finish eighth in qualifying. He’s not here to not even fight for a podium.
“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.”
Mercedes ‘couldn’t ignore Max Verstappen calling’
Palmer continued that despite the line-up of Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli currently paying dividends – with Antonelli currently leading the title with Russell second – it would be foolish to ignore the prospect of Verstappen being in one of its cars.
“If you’re Toto, you’ve got a chance to sign Max, you’ve got the threat of other teams closing in, your built-in advantage at the start of this year is only going to get smaller,” he said.
“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.
“Was it 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.”
Naturally, Verstappen will be frustrated that the RB22 is not producing the performance and therefore the results to compete this year, but it’s likely that his biggest discontent is from the new regulations.
There was no illusions that Red Bull’s debut year in alliance with Ford would yield some tricky moments, but with the proof now firmly in the pudding, Verstappen will be finding it bitter in flavour, and may be licking his lips at the possibility of jumping aboard a Mercedes.
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