Former Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone has handed important advice to Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen amid speculation about his potential move to the Mercedes F1 team.
Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season, but several factors hint at a move to Mercedes, especially given Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff’s inclination to have him on the team.
The four-time world champion has been facing challenges with Red Bull’s RB21 F1 car, managing just two race wins in the first ten races this year, a stark contrast to his seven Grand Prix wins in the same span in 2024.
Notably, issues with Red Bull’s title challenger began last year, leading the team to finish third in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship. Verstappen won his fourth title, but given McLaren’s superior performance, the chances of the Dutch driver securing his fifth title this year are lower.
Additionally, the sudden exit of former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has added a layer of uncertainty to the team’s future prospects, as F1 enters a new era of regulations in 2026. Red Bull will roll out its own power unit for the first time next year, which is being developed in collaboration with Ford under the Red Bull Powertrains banner.
With Mercedes being a proven power unit supplier in the premier class of motorsport, the Brackley-based outfit could seem like a more reliable option for Verstappen. However, the 27-year-old driver stated a few weeks ago, before Horner’s exit, that he was loyal to Red Bull and would stay with the team.
But after Horner’s departure, who was replaced by former Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies, it remains to be seen whether Verstappen’s preference to stay at Red Bull continues. Given the reports of Verstappen’s ongoing talks with Mercedes, as claimed by George Russell a few weeks ago, Ecclestone has asked Verstappen to do what makes him happy. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, as quoted by Planet F1, he said:
“I think he should be where he’s happy.
“And wherever it’s going to be, as long as he’s happy, he’ll still be able to perform the way he’s performing now, because he’s not a guy that messes around, is he? I mean, very straightforward on what he says and what he does.”
The 94-year-old F1 supremo then revealed that Verstappen should stay at Red Bull. He said:
“I’d like to see him stay where he is.”
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