Max Verstappen ‘Wowed’ by Mercedes ‘Gold Nugget’ Amid Red Bull Exit Speculation

As the 2025 Formula 1 season unfolds, whispers of Max Verstappen’s future continue to grow louder. Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has added fuel to the fire, suggesting that Verstappen could be seriously considering a switch to Mercedes — a move that would shake up the paddock ahead of the new 2026 regulations.

Herbert believes Verstappen’s frustration at Red Bull is mounting. Despite Red Bull’s dominance in recent years, the team faces challenges with its upcoming engine program. Red Bull is developing its own power unit for 2026 after ending its long-standing partnership with Honda, but rumors suggest the project isn’t progressing smoothly. In contrast, Mercedes is widely seen as having a strong head start on the new regulations, and this contrast could be a decisive factor for Verstappen.

“Max will be very aware of what’s going on within Red Bull’s development programme for next year with the new engine, the new power unit they’re making themselves, and all the different elements to that, and then obviously to the car at the same time,” Herbert said. “Rumors are that it’s not been going very well. But the rumors have been that Mercedes are going very well. Max would want to put himself in a position where he has the best chance he can to win.”

Herbert draws an intriguing parallel with Lewis Hamilton’s own career-defining move from McLaren to Mercedes. Hamilton’s switch was inspired by Mercedes promising a revolutionary project that would soon dominate the sport. Herbert suggests that Mercedes is employing a similar strategy to entice Verstappen.

“The discussions I would have thought that Toto \[Wolff, Mercedes boss] and Max have had are probably very, very similar to what Niki Lauda had with Lewis when he got taken out of McLaren and brought over to Mercedes,” Herbert explained.

“Because I think Mercedes would have shown Max what they’ve got, what they believe they’re going to have for next year, which will probably be the car to beat. Now that would be, for me, the little gold nugget that you would dangle in front of Max – and he would be wowed by what he’s being told.”

Despite Toto Wolff publicly downplaying the chances of Verstappen joining Mercedes, Herbert believes there is more beneath the surface. Verstappen’s growing impatience with Red Bull — which has seen several key personnel departures and persistent internal issues — only strengthens the case for a potential exit.

“Max is thinking: ‘I’ve got to get out of here.’ It’s little ingredients and that just keeps creeping into his season so far. And the more that it happens, the more he must be thinking: ‘I’ve got to move on. I’ve to find a place that would give me what I need,’” Herbert noted.

The clock is ticking. Red Bull’s engine program will take time to mature, but Verstappen’s career doesn’t have the luxury of patience. If Mercedes can offer him a competitive package for 2026, the reigning World Champion could be tempted by the prospect of joining a team poised for a new era of dominance.

With the 2026 season promising a seismic shift in F1’s technical landscape, all eyes will be on Verstappen’s next move. Could Mercedes’s “gold nugget” be the lure that convinces him to jump ship from Red Bull? The paddock awaits the answer.