Rachel Brookes has clarified how Max Verstappen had “absolutely nothing to do with” her exit from Sky Sports as she predicted the Dutchman’s next Formula 1 team.
Brookes had recently opened up about the extreme online abuse she had faced in the wake of an interview of hers with Verstappen regarding the latter’s incident with George Russell at the 2025 Spanish GP.
Last month, she also parted ways with Sky, after over a decade of service to its F1 coverage, becoming an integral and celebrated part of not only the organisation but also the paddock.
After the Hungarian GP, Brookes appeared on the Essential F1 podcast. She highlighted how many perceived her exit was related to the ‘Verstappen incident’.
But she took the opportunity to clarify that her decision to leave Sky Sports had “absolutely nothing” to do with the online abuse she had endured after that particular Verstappen interview, insisting she has a “great relationship” with the Red Bull driver.
“It was nothing to do with comments and abuse I got online last year at all,” she said.
“That was resolved very quickly, and I’ve got a great relationship with Max. So absolutely nothing to do with that.
“I know a lot of people thought that, and there were some articles written. Absolutely not the case, at all.”
Potential Max Verstappen to Mercedes F1 move; “I still see it happening” – Rachel Brookes
After a squalid start to the 2025 campaign for Red Bull and Verstappen, speculation was rife about the Dutchman seeking a move away from the Milton-Keynes-based team.
This season has been no different, and while the rumors linking Verstappen to Mercedes have died down, Brookes is still certain that the 28-year-old will end up driving for the German marque alongside current championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
“I still think Max is looking for an exit,” Brookes explained. “Because I feel like yes, he’s showing us all what he can do right now, and we’re all impressed and we’re like Max is amazing, because he is, but he wants to be winning again.
“He doesn’t want to have to show that he can get a car that should be 10th up to second. He wants to be winning races again. Much as it looked easy for him before, he still wants to win. He still wants a trophy at home.
“With all the people that have left there [Red Bull] now, Michael Manning the latest to go, I still feel that he’s looking around, going, ‘I’ve done my time. I’ve given you everything I possibly can, and now I want to go somewhere I can win again.’
“I think Max will go to Mercedes alongside Antonelli.”
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff had admitted to “flirting” with the idea of poaching Verstappen but tucked that thought away. Brookes doesn’t buy that.
She feels the ghost of missing out on signing Verstappen, all the way back in 2015-16, when Wolff could have, still “bugs” the Austrian, and that Wolff would be willing to make amends.
“It’s just in my head still. Toto missed out on him before. I think that still bugs him,” she insisted.
“I think he would feel like that was a massive coup to get him from Red Bull now. I also think Max would really love to go up against Kimi Antonelli.
“Toto said, ‘No, he wanted too much money. He wanted three years’ or whatever. I still see it happening.”
Verstappen is yet to commit to Red Bull for 2027, despite his contract being due to expire at the end of 2028.
And the recently surfacing pictures of him holidaying with Wolff have only reignited rumors of a possible shock switch to Mercedes for the four-time F1 World Champion.
READ MORE – Red Bull offers Max Verstappen potential last-ditch offer – Reports
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