McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has shared his concerns about Max Verstappen's potential move to the Mercedes F1 team, saying he would be a bigger threat than he is at Red Bull. George Russell recently admitted that his contract extension was on hold amid ongoing talks between Mercedes and Verstappen.

McLaren boss Zak Brown says it would be a “disaster” for Red Bull if four-time reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen were to leave the team. Verstappen has declined to say whether he'll stay with the team for next year amid speculation about a potential move to Mercedes.

Christian Horner has said it would be “embarrassing” for Mercedes if his Red Bull team started the 2026 season ahead of them, amid ongoing uncertainty over Max Verstappen’s future.