Secret negotiations: Phone call confirming Verstappen switch – The winds of change swirling around Verstappen’s future – The 2025 Formula One season has not only delivered a fiercely competitive grid, it has also set the paddock abuzz with speculation and strategic manoeuvring behind closed doors. Amid the swirling rumours, one story has emerged to dominate the headlines: the possible departure of four-time world champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing.
Despite a long-term contract tying him to the Milton Keynes-based outfit until 2028, Verstappen could exercise a release clause linked directly to the team’s on-track performance. The Dutchman’s loyalty to Red Bull, the team with which he has etched his name into the annals of F1 history, appears to be increasingly strained.
Adding fuel to the fire, the name of George Russell has emerged in recent reports as a potential replacement, further suggesting that Verstappen’s days with the 2022 & 2023 Constructors’ Champions may be numbered. According to several sources, including respected motorsport outlet The Race, conversations between Russell’s entourage and Red Bull executives are already underway, revealing a brewing shift in the sport’s driver landscape.
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The pressure cooker: Verstappen’s contract & Red Bull clause
Max Verstappen’s long-term contract with Red Bull, signed at the peak of his dominance, included a key provision: a performance clause that would allow him to walk away if the team failed to deliver a title-contending car. That clause, once considered a formality, is now looming large as Red Bull struggles to match the relentless pace of rivals Ferrari and McLaren this season.
Team advisor Helmut Marko confirmed the existence of the clause earlier this year, and while he stopped short of confirming any immediate activation, the message was clear: Verstappen’s presence at Red Bull is no longer a guarantee. Known for his precision and intensity, the Dutch driver is not content to merely accumulate podiums. His goal is to win, and with the RB21 falling behind in critical developmental races, his patience may be wearing thin.
Adding to the tension are internal changes at Red Bull, including the departure of Adrian Newey, the mastermind behind the team’s aerodynamic success. With Red Bull facing a period of uncertainty, Verstappen’s departure is becoming less hypothetical and more plausible.
George Russell’s subtle but strategic power play
In the midst of this turmoil, George Russell has quietly positioned himself as a key figure in the unfolding drama. Currently driving for Mercedes, Russell’s contract with the Silver Arrows expires at the end of 2025. However, several sources have reported preliminary discussions between Russell’s camp and Red Bull, suggesting that he could make a bold move at the end of his contract – or perhaps even sooner.
While Russell has remained professional in public, there’s little doubt about the undercurrents. A potential partnership between him and Verstappen is considered almost impossible due to their long-standing rivalry and contrasting driving philosophies. That alone suggests that if Russell were to join Red Bull, it would be as a replacement, not a teammate.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, is unlikely to entertain the idea of pairing two highly competitive and outspoken drivers whose dynamics could destabilise the garage. Red Bull has traditionally maintained a clear hierarchy between its drivers and that policy wouldn’t sit well with a Russell-Verstappen line-up.
Russell responds: Confidence amid uncertainty
When asked about the swirling speculation and whether he feared being replaced should Verstappen move to Mercedes, George Russell responded with poise and a confidence that spoke volumes.
“Why wouldn’t they want to sign Max? It’s completely understandable. He’s the best at the moment. He’s a four-time world champion,” said Russell in a recent interview.
“It’s not about me or Kimi. There are two drivers in every team and he’s one person. So it doesn’t affect me at all because performance is my motto and at the moment I think I’m as good as anyone on this grid.”
Russell went on to explain that contracts in F1 are becoming increasingly performance based.
“A lot of drivers have contracts, but the fact is that if you don’t perform, the teams will find a way to get rid of you. When the time is right, we’ll discuss a contract,” he explained. “I think the people who worry too much about the lack of a contract or the lack of clarity are the ones who don’t believe in themselves. I have a lot of confidence in myself.”
His words could be interpreted as both a statement of self-confidence and a subtle hint that he is ready for a change – perhaps one that will see him in a team more capable of challenging for victories week in, week out.
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A potential cross-over: The dominoes begin to fall
If the reports are to be believed, the 2026 grid could look very different. A scenario in which Russell joins Red Bull and Verstappen takes his place at Mercedes is now being openly discussed in paddock circles. Such a move would be seismic, altering the competitive balance of the sport and reigniting one of its most compelling rivalries.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has long admired Verstappen and previously admitted he would “always keep the door open” for the Dutch driver. With Lewis Hamilton now at Ferrari and the Brackley-based team looking to regain their former glory, a move for Verstappen would be a logical – and headline-grabbing – move.
For Red Bull, Verstappen’s departure would be the symbolic end of an era. But in Russell they would be acquiring a driver of proven speed, intelligence and marketability – a potential anchor for the post-Verstappen era.
The call that changed everything
One element in particular has brought the current speculation to a fever pitch: a reported phone call between Red Bull management and Russell’s representatives that effectively confirmed Red Bull’s interest.
While the contents of the call remain undisclosed, insiders have described it as “decisive” and “confirmatory” – a crucial turning point in what has been a season of behind-the-scenes intrigue.
More than just a backup plan, Red Bull’s interest in Russell signals the team’s acknowledgement that Verstappen may already be halfway out the door. That phone call, now referred to in hushed tones around the paddock, could come to symbolise the exact moment Red Bull began preparing for life after Max.
The way forward: Waiting for the right moment
Both Verstappen and Russell have emphasised timing in recent interviews, carefully navigating the political minefield of contract negotiations and public scrutiny. Verstappen, ever the pragmatist, won’t leave Red Bull unless he’s sure of a more competitive alternative. Meanwhile, Russell seems content to wait, bide his time and let his results do the talking.
Formula One’s silly season, notorious for its drama and high-stakes decisions, may begin early this year – but it is about more than seats. It is about legacies, long-term visions and the shifting balance of power within the sport.
As summer approaches, the paddock will be watching every move, every comment and every phone call with laser focus. And while nothing is official yet, the writing may already be on the wall: the Max Verstappen era at Red Bull is coming to an end, and George Russell could very well be the next man up.
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Mercedes defeated in 2026 engine row
The 2025 Formula One season is developing nicely into a battle between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri together with Max Verstappen for the F1 drivers championship. The constructors’ title race looks to be a runaway certain for McLaren but Ferrari have yet to get up and running and Mercedes’ with rookie driver Kimi Antonelli and George Russell are making game for now of the team championship.
However, come 2026 and the F1 landscape may look very different. For the first time in F1 history the teams have to cope with fairly radical new engines along with revolutionary moveable bodywork as the next era of F1 regulations come into effect.
The last time there was such a large change in the F1 regulations, Mercedes delivered an uber dominant V6 hybrid turbo power unit going on to conquer all in their path, winning an historic eight consecutive constructors’ championships between 2014-2021… READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
I thought McLaren were the current Constructors Champions?
a typo, thanks!
Love to see a fact check on the garbage