'Signals For Red Bull...': Former Driver Warns Of Max Verstappen's Move To Mercedes

Last Updated:July 16, 2025, 08:50 IST

Ex-F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has hinted that Max Verstappen could join Mercedes next season amid Red Bull's struggles.

Max Verstappen is reportedly moving to Mercedes next season (Picture credit: AP)

Former German Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has said that although Max Verstappen knows what he owes to Red Bull, his management team and his father, who have been thoroughly involved in his career, might have just decided on a move to Mercedes next season.

After Red Bull dominated the 2023 Formula 1 season, the drop in performance last year was drastic. This was coupled with the scandal involving former team principal Christian Horner and Adrian Newey leaving the team.

The 2025 Formula 1 season has been worse, as Verstappen is more or less out of contention. He is already 69 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri and Red Bull is a slower car compared to McLaren.

Horner has been replaced by Laurent Mekies and one of his primary jobs is going to be to convince Verstappen to stay with the team. But as per Schumacher, it appears that the decision has already been made by his father, Jos and Raymond Vermeulen.

“He (Max) knows what he owes to Red Bull, but I think his management and his father, who has been around in Formula 1 for a long time, already know where the adventure will continue. And so, I think more of Mercedes," Schumacher said while speaking to Sky Sports. 

“They won’t like to hear this in Salzburg, but the signals for Red Bull aren’t good at the moment. If Max wants success in the short term for next year, then he will have to look elsewhere. I think it’s a bigger adventure at Mercedes," Schumacher added.

The entire situation has been compounded after Horner was sacked from his role.

A Red Bull team whose time at the top was ending, Max won just two of 14 races to end last season and a draining spell in 2024 when Horner was cleared of inappropriate behaviour towards a woman team member should have rung alarm bells for the latter.

Sebastian Vettel won four successive titles under Horner from 2010 to 2013, with Max winning the past four. Red Bull won six constructors’ crowns in that time as well.

However, last week, with this season’s car not competitive with rivals McLaren, a discontented Max and the constant haemorrhaging of pivotal backroom talent, Horner’s 20 years as CEO ended.

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