Ex-Red Bull Driver Gives New Theory over Max Verstappen Mercedes Rumors

Ex-Red Bull test driver Karun Chandhok has brewed a new speculation on Max Verstappen's rumors of joining Mercedes as soon as 2026.

Ex-Red Bull Driver Gives New Theory over Max Verstappen Mercedes Rumors

Max Verstappen (via Red Bull Content Pool)

Max Verstappen‘s time at Red Bull has remained extremely troublesome due to the team’s mediocre performance since the beginning of the 2025 season. The once-dominating force is now finding it difficult to compete for wins over the race weekends. Now, rumors have started to come up about the 27-year-old seeking to quit the Austrian constructor much earlier than expected. Ex-Red Bull member Karun Chandhok has now shared his opinion and speculated a new theory on Verstappen’s switch to Mercedes.

Mercedes’ extreme interest in acquiring Max Verstappen hasn’t remained a secret. Toto Wolff‘s relentless pursuit to sign the reigning world champion hasn’t died down despite Brackley’s current drivers’ lineup looking strong. Verstappen also has an alleged performance exit clause in his contract with Red Bull, which could see him exit the team as early as the 2026 season.

Karun Chandhok second-guessed Red Bull’s exit clause for Max Verstappen and if it could become a reality due to the team’s dying pace. Still, Chandhok reckoned that if he were Verstappen, he would stay at Milton Keynes in 2026 and see which team aced the new regulations. The four-time champion could then make a switch in teams by 2027 to the team which nailed the regulations.

I guess the answer is yes. We don’t know what the thresholds are in terms of being able to extricate himself from the Red Bull contract. But if you were Max Verstappen, you would look at next year in particular and look at the performance of all of the top four teams and then pick and choose where you want to go for the future.

Karun Chandhok told Sky Sports F1

According to Chandhok, the 2026 season could be more of a observatory season where every driver would assess every team and their performance closely. After that, all drivers would then aim to join the top team under the new regulations by the 2027 season. Due to this, there were some complexities in every driver’s contract with any team, and more so with Max Verstappen due to every team’s eagerness to acquire the four-time world champion.

I feel like next year, there’s a bit of a dance going on where people are trying to gauge the situation and then in 2027 the market could go completely mad. So that’s where I think there’s some complexities in terms of ironing this whole deal out.

Karun Chandhok added

Karun Chandhok labels Max Verstappen as ‘standout driver’ in F1

Max Verstappen’s performance despite the tumultuous conditions at Red Bull has earned him a lot of praise. The Dutchman has kept up with impressive performances despite the adversities and has emerged as one of the best drivers. This means that any team would be lucky to have Verstappen in their squad, as he could perform well even in a mediocre car. As such, Karun Chandhok cements the reigning world champion with a great title.

Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)
Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

Karun Chandhok doesn’t hesitate to accept the magnitude of likeness towards Max Verstappen, as he claimed that any team would be eager to have him in the squad. The Indian labeled the 27-year-old as the ‘standout driver’ who remains unmatched in terms of racing talent. Moreover, with the 2026 regulations, the power units could set the tone for many years to come, as he could keep up with his winning streak with a great team then.

I think any of the teams on this grid would want to have Max in the car. He is the standout driver of recent times. And in Max’s case, the new generation of rules, the new generation of power units could set the tone for the next five, six years, like it happened with Lewis [Hamilton] back in 2014.

Karun Chandhok noted

Max Verstappen hasn’t officially commented on his contractual situation with any team in the upcoming seasons. On the contrary, the 27-year-old has shown his long-term loyalty to the Austrian outfit and doesn’t intend to leave soon. However, Milton Keynes’ ever-worsening pace could see the Dutchman seek an early exit from the team.

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