McLaren CEO Zak Brown has said that Max Verstappen is currently “carrying” the Red Bull team, claiming that Racing Bulls would be ahead if it weren’t for him, as rumours about a potential switch to Formula 1 rivals Mercedes deepen.
The Milton Keynes-based squad has endured a difficult 2025 so far, with Verstappen’s two wins its only claim to bragging rights, amid difficulty finding stability in its second seat, with Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda both struggling to keep up.
Verstappen is the only driver who has so far been able to cope and manage the tricky RB21 machine, and has been the only realistic challenger to the dominant McLaren team so far.
In contrast, Tsunoda, who replaced Lawson after two rounds, has found it hard to get close to Verstappen, and spent the Austrian Grand Prix battling Alpine’s Franco Colapinto towards the back of the field, eventually finishing last of the remaining cars running.
Over at Racing Bulls, rookie Isack Hadjar has impressed and has outscored both Tsunoda and Lawson, who has shown significant improvement since returning to the Faenza-based satellite team.
Ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Brown said that if Red Bull were without Verstappen, it would be currently languishing behind its junior outfit in the championship.
“Red Bull would be behind Racing Bulls [without Verstappen],” he told Sky Sports News. “They have done a great job and have a great racing car. I think Max is carrying them at the moment.”
Brown: ‘I wouldn’t be surprised’ if Verstappen joined Mercedes
Speculation around Mercedes’ interest in Verstappen has been longstanding, but intensified when George Russell said the team had begun converstions with the four-time World Champion.
Team Principal Toto Wolff appeared to confirm such talks after refusing to deny them, with Sky Italy reporting this week that “concrete negotiations” had taken place.
Due to the nature of the rumours and how they have transpired, Brown is convinced that the two parties have met and discussed a potential move.
“I’m a believer of when there’s smoke, there’s fire. If everyone was committed to their seats, that’s what they would be saying,” he said.
“The fact everyone’s talking and no one is confirming anything, tells me there are conversations going on. I said a while ago I wouldn’t be surprised to see Max in a Mercedes.”
Brown’s title-chasing driver Lando Norris, who will boast his own stand at Silverstone this weekend, said he had no opinion on Verstappen’s potential whereabouts.
“I don’t care where he goes. I appreciate Max as a competitor. He’s a bit tough but I enjoy our battles together,” he told Sky.
READ MORE – Red Bull insists RB21 ‘not that difficult’ to drive amid Yuki Tsunoda F1 struggles
