Ex-F1 driver thinks Mercedes have already convinced Max Verstappen

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert believes Max Verstappen has already been convinced to join Mercedes.

Verstappen’s future remains a topic of intense speculation and intrigue amid Red Bull’s competitive woes and the decision to sack long-serving team principal Christian Horner last week.

The four-time world champion has held talks with Mercedes and is believed to be open to making a shock switch to the Silver Arrows, providing he can trigger the exit clause in his Red Bull contract which runs until the end of 2028.

Verstappen is rumoured to have met with Toto Wolff in Sardinia last week for further discussions, and Herbert reckons the Dutchman will have been sold on Mercedes’ plans for F1’s rules reset in 2026 and beyond.

“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 told ESportsBets.com.

“Rumours are that it’s not been going very well. But the rumours 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. He's frustrated where he is because they're not able to give him what he wants.

“There have been a lot of people who have left. There are still things going on behind the scenes.”

Lewis Hamilton comparison made

Herbert reckons Mercedes will have followed a similar approach in their pursuit of Verstappen as when they managed to poach Lewis Hamilton from McLaren back in 2012.

“The discussions I would have thought that Toto and Max have had are probably very, very similar to what Nikki Lauda had with Lewis when he was at McLaren and he got taken out of McLaren and brought over to Mercedes,” he continued.

“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. Toto says it’s all unlikely but that is classic Toto. There is more to it for sure.

“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.’

“The thing is with Red Bull, with the engine programme that they've got, it's going to take time. And time is not always what an F1 driver has on his side.”