Zak Browns’ official prediction on where Max Verstappen ends up aint McLaren

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has weighed in on the swirling speculation surrounding Max Verstappen's Formula 1 future, predicting the four-time champion would likely join Mercedes if he were to depart Red Bull Racing.

Verstappen, 28, ignited doubts about his long-term continuity with Red Bull back in March, fueling a driver market frenzy. While McLaren has been linked to the Dutch driver, particularly after securing his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to join as chief racing officer by 2028, Brown maintains a firm commitment to his current line-up.

McLaren's unwavering commitment

Despite reports from F1oversteer suggesting McLaren would most likely consider dropping Oscar Piastri for Verstappen if the opportunity arose, Brown emphatically stated his satisfaction with Lando Norris and Piastri.

"From McLaren’s point of view, I couldn’t be happier with Lando and Oscar," Brown told Sky Sports. "We have long-term agreements with them, and I think it is the greatest driver pairing on and off the track, so we have no intention of replacing any of our two superstars."

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Both Norris and Piastri hold long-term agreements with McLaren, though Piastri's contract reportedly includes a break clause allowing him to leave if he perceives the team favors Norris.

Verstappen's contract clause and a potential market entry

Verstappen's current contract with Red Bull runs through 2028, but a significant release clause could see him enter the F1 driver market as early as this year. This clause is reportedly active between August and October, contingent on Verstappen being outside the top two positions in the F1 drivers’ standings at the summer break.

Despite the hypothetical availability, Brown reiterated his contentment, stating he does not expect to make a move for the 71-time Grand Prix winner unless one of his current drivers were to depart.

Mercedes emerges as Brown's frontrunner

When pressed on Verstappen's potential destination should he leave Red Bull, Brown pointed directly to Mercedes. "Obviously, if one were to go away, yeah, Max is a huge talent, but I’m not anticipating that. Where might he go? If I had to bet, I’d say to Mercedes,” Brown explained to Sky Sports.

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Mercedes has a long-standing interest in Verstappen, despite team principal Toto Wolff publicly ruling out a signing in March. The German outfit currently has George Russell under contract through 2026, with an option to extend for 2027 based on his performance during the 2026 season. This option is reportedly linked to Russell potentially winning the F1 drivers’ championship this year.

However, reports also claim that Verstappen would be "loath" to partner Russell at Mercedes, adding another layer of complexity to any potential move.

Sources: www.f1oversteer.com, www.skysports.com

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