Verstappen Mercedes talks “going to happen” F1 paddock figure claims

Conversations between Mercedes and Max Verstappen are “going to happen” this year, former Formula 1 driver turned pundit Jolyon Palmer has claimed.

Palmer, who contested 35 races with Renault between 2016 and 2017, believes Verstappen’s future will be a hot topic once again this year if Red Bull’s struggles continue and Mercedes remains the team to beat in F1.

Four-time world champion Verstappen has endured a hugely frustrating start to the 2026 season. On top of not enjoying F1’s new generation of car, he is unhappy with the handling of Red Bull’s RB22, which has been affected by early reliability trouble.

Verstappen has reported having no battery at the start of races in Australia and China, and was forced to retire from the second round of the season in Shanghai due to an ERS cooling failure in his Red Bull. The Dutchman is already well adrift in the title race, sitting eighth in the drivers’ championship with just eight points.

Palmer reckons Verstappen’s camp will soon hold talks with Mercedes if the Silver Arrows continue to dominate in 2026, having racked up victories in the first two grand prix, as well as the China sprint race.

"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.

"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.”

Verstappen-Mercedes links won't go away

Verstappen was heavily linked with Mercedes throughout last year as his future became a major talking point during the early months of 2025.

Mercedes has not hidden its desire to sign Verstappen with team principal Toto Wolff publicly flirting with the 28-year-old before he committed his short-term future to Red Bull last summer.

In response, Mercedes locked down current championship leader George Russell and team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli with fresh contract extensions.

Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028 but is understood to have several performance-related clauses that would enable him to leave and join a rival sooner if certain conditions are not met.