Jos Verstappen slams social media for making Max Verstappen Mercedes rumors

Max Verstappen's father Jos Verstappen hit out at social media for speculating on the Dutch driver's future.

Jos Verstappen slams social media for making Max Verstappen Mercedes rumors

Max Verstappen and Jos Verstappen (via IMAGO)

Max Verstappen is arguably the biggest name in Formula 1 right now. The Dutch driver has won four world titles in a row and aims to defend the championship yet again this year. It is thus no surprise that rumors over the 27-year-old’s future are always circulating. Now, his father Jos Verstappen has blamed social media for such speculation.

The reigning world champion has a contract that extends till 2028 with Red Bull Racing. However, recently rumors resurfaced that Max Verstappen might be in talks with Mercedes over a potential switch for 2026. The Silver Arrows have publicly expressed their interest in the past as well.

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Jos Verstappen made it clear that such speculation simply played out on social media. The former Benetton driver claimed that online users were the one who make issues out of any such rumors regarding Verstappen’s future.

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It mainly plays out on social media, people make an issue of it there. At the moment there is nothing at all. There are no other contracts.

Jos Verstappen said, as reported by GPBlog

Moreover, the senior Verstappen declared that there was no other deal on the table for the Dutch driver, except his current Red Bull contract. Though, the 53-year-old hinted that Max Verstappen might change his decision after seeing how the upcoming season pans out at Milton Keynes.

The only contract out there is with Red Bull. We just wait for that and see how it goes this year.

Jos Verstappen added

Max Verstappen hoping for positive weekend at Australian GP

The 2025 season is crucial for the four-time world champion. Max Verstappen does have an exit clause in his Red Bull contract that could allow him to leave Red Bull at the end of the season. As such, the Dutch driver will be hoping for a strong campaign this year.

Max Verstappen driving the Red Bull RB21
Max Verstappen driving the Red Bull RB21 during preseason testing in Bahrain (image via F1)

The 27-year-old claimed that he was happy to be at Albert Park this weekend as the 2025 season finally commences. Max Verstappen emphasized that this will allow Red Bull to finally understand its position in the pecking order. He highlighted that so far, Milton Keynes was simply predicting its position based on preseason testing, claiming that such thinking makes ‘no sense.’

I’m just very happy to be here because then we can finally see where we’re at. Otherwise you just keep on thinking about it and it makes no sense anyway.

Max Verstappen said during press conference

Verstappen asserted that the Australian GP will be the starting point for the season. The four-time world champion hoped that this point would not be too bad for Milton Keynes, to ensure that they can continue improving over the course of the year. The Dutchman had previously stated that Red Bull was not going to be the fastest team this weekend.

You have to start at some point and hopefully it’s not too bad.

Max Verstappen added

Can Max Verstappen really leave Red Bull?

Max Verstappen has raced for Red Bull Racing since the 2016 Spanish GP. The Dutch driver has built the entire team around him in the past decade. This has allowed Verstappen to get arguably the most comfortable environment on the grid. However, the 27-year-old will not blink twice when it comes to joining a new team if he gets a better car.

Christian Horner and Max Verstappen
Christian Horner and Max Verstappen (via F1)

So far, Verstappen has insisted that he remains happy at Red Bull and is not even considering his options. Though, it is clear that the Dutchman is keeping an eye on all top teams on the grid while looking forward to the RB21’s performance. If things decline for Milton Keynes after a difficult campaign last year, fans shouldn’t be surprised if Max Verstappen joins Mercedes or even Aston Martin next season.

Though, Red Bull Motorsport Consultant Dr. Helmut Marko has played down such worries after preseason testing. The 81-year-old has reckoned that the Austrian team is on the right track for the time being, and he isn’t concerned about Verstappen leaving just yet. Nevertheless, Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 will depend largely on his 2025 campaign and whether he is able to successfully clinch a fifth championship in a row.