F1 Rumor: Juan Montoya Says Max Verstappen Could Jump Ship to Mercedes As Red Bull Powertrain Questioned

Saajan Jogia | Dec 13, 2024

Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (left) talks with Formula 1 Team driver Lando Norris (right) of Team Great Britain after the Sprint Race in the 2024 Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has predicted that while Max Verstappen is likely to remain in the sport despite rumors of his exit, his journey with Red Bull may come to an end after 2026. Montoya suggests a switch to Red Bull’s rival Mercedes is highly plausible, especially if Red Bull's in-house power unit debut under the new 2026 regulations fails to meet Verstappen’s performance expectations.

The four-time world champion is contracted with Red Bull until 2028, but the team faced numerous challenges this year, extending beyond car performance to internal dynamics amid rumors of a power struggle. Persistent issues with the RB20 car, which cost Verstappen crucial race victories, prompted visible frustration from the Dutchman, who openly criticized Red Bull for providing a problematic car. His father, Jos Verstappen, who also has a significant say in his son's career decisions, pointed fingers at Red Bull for compromising Max's performance due to internal problems.

Given his huge appetite to win, Verstappen hinted that he wouldn't put up with any kind of compromise. With Red Bull parting ways with its current power unit supplier Honda after the 2025 season to make way for its own engines from 2026, Montoya believes Verstappen could leave Red Bull if it fails to produce a competitive and reliable power unit. He told Instant Casino, as reported by RacingNews365:

“I think Max Verstappen will end up leaving in a couple of years.

"He won’t leave the sport. It’s the ultimate. He’ll leave Red Bull.

“He doesn't have it that difficult. Yes, it's hard because he works really hard. He has a stable job. And he kind of controls a lot of what happens.

“The big question is, is Max willing to play it cool if '26 is bad? If Red Bull comes with the powertrains and it's not where it needs to be, is Max going to be happy running 10th? No."

Montoya believes Verstappen could already be thinking about Mercedes, and a switch to the Brackley outfit could be a high possibility if Red Bull falters. He added:

“Mercedes comes with an offer, he is going to jump ship straight away.

"It's very easy to be loyal when you win races. If I were in his shoes, for sure I would be looking at that already.

“It would surprise me if he's not. Publicly he would say, ’No way,’ but internally I would be surprised if a conversation was not going on.”

Jos has been known for his close friendship with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, which could play a role in Max joining Mercedes in the future. Jos recently said about Red Bull:

“At the start of the season, Red Bull still looked very strong, but Max was already saying after a few races that the car was not as good as people thought. And to what extent all the noise around the team has had an impact on the sporting performance, that's always hard to put a finger on.”

He added:

“There have been a lot of changes within the team. Some people have new positions. I do feel that the team has to prove itself again and that they have to show that we are still fast. That's important for us.

“That's the way Max is in it. The pressure is on and that's the way it should be. It's up to the team to show that they have kept the good people and can build a fast car again.”