In what appears to be a bombshell development, Sky Sports Italy are reporting that Max Verstappen has agreed a move to replace George Russell at Mercedes and leave Red Bull. It has been a while since rumors of the Dutch driver’s disgruntled outlook at the Austrian team have been there.

At the same time, there have been reports earlier about exit clauses in Verstappen’s contract that could pave his way to a seat at Mercedes.

While there have been rumors and reports, they have intensified ever since Mercedes driver George Russell confirmed that Toto Wolff was having conversations with Max Verstappen, who’s contracted with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 F1 season.

However, the contract, just like any other contract in F1, has exit clauses. As it turns out, there’s more to the conversations between Wolff and the reigning champion.

According to Sky Sports Italia, Verstappen has given his consent to joining Mercedes for 2026. Toto Wolff now has to convince the board, after which the deal could be finalized. The report read:

“Max Verstappen is close to joining Mercedes . According to our engine team, the reigning World Champion – whose contract with Red Bull expires in 2028 – has said yes to Toto Wolff’s offer , who has said several times recently that he wants to monitor the Dutchman’s situation closely.

“However, there is still an obstacle to overcome: part of the Mercedes board has not yet approved the decisive move , since, given the regulatory revolution that will come into force starting in 2026 , the Silver Arrows could still have – regardless of the driver tandem – the best car on the grid.”

 

Max Verstappen set to replace George Russell should a deal get signed

Both Kimi Antonelli’s and George Russell’s contracts end this year, but the driver whose slot has been in danger seemingly in front of the media is the experienced one.

The British driver has been questioned about his place at Mercedes by the media in the last few races, where he has been very impressive. However, in arguably his most impressive season, George Russell might be getting the boot. The aforementioned report said:

“In what appears to be a bombshell development, Sky Sports Italy are reporting that Max Verstappen has agreed for a move to replace George Russell at Mercedes and leave Red Bull in the process. It has been a while since rumors of the Dutch driver’s disgruntled outlook at the Austrian team have been there.

“At the same time, there have been reports earlier about exit clauses in Max Verstappen’s contract that could pave his way to a seat at Mercedes.”

If Verstappen leaves Red Bull and goes to Mercedes, it would be a partnership that’s more than a decade in the making. Wolff was in extensive discussion with the Dutch driver before Red Bull jumped in and took Verstappen in 2014.