Former F1 driver stirs the pot, is Verstappen already in bed with Mercedes? Juan Pablo Montoya has never been one for subtlety. So, when the Colombian former F1 driver starts suggesting that Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli are already teammates, eyebrows are bound to be raised. This particular rumour emerged after the Austrian Grand Prix, where Verstappen, the four-time world champion, was abruptly eliminated from the race by none other than Mercedes’ rising star, Antonelli. The collision at Turn 3, just a few corners into the race, left Verstappen as a mere spectator before he had even broken a sweat.

But what stunned most of the paddock wasn’t the crash — it was what came after. No shouting. No blame. No fiery press conference tirade. Instead, there was just a surprisingly calm Verstappen who approached Antonelli with all the rage of a yoga instructor. Montoya’s antennae naturally twitched.

 

Was it a collision or a cover-up?

To understand the suspicion, we need context. The championship standings underwent a seismic shift after Austria. Following Verstappen’s retirement, Lando Norris now sits 46 points ahead, while Oscar Piastri, who is driving like Prost reincarnated in a papaya-coloured car, has a 61-point lead over the reigning champion. That’s a significant gap, even in a 24-race season.

So, when Kimi Antonelli — fresh off his learner’s permit and still getting used to the brake-by-wire systems of his Mercedes — dived late into turn three and torpedoed Verstappen, you would have expected a thunderstorm of fury from the Dutchman. Instead, Verstappen remained composed — even gracious — towards the rookie. To Montoya, this was a flashing neon sign.

‘If you want to read something into that,’ Montoya teased in an interview with BettingLounge.co.uk, ‘why was Max so nice to Kimi after the collision? Are they already teammates?’

A cheeky grin? Maybe. But it’s a question that has now got the F1 rumour mill grinding at full throttle.

 

The Mercedes link: whispers becoming roars

For months, the idea of Verstappen leaving Red Bull has been circulating around the paddock like smoke from a smouldering engine. Public tension with Christian Horner, the departure of Adrian Newey and the ongoing internal power struggle do not exactly scream stability.

Meanwhile, over in Brackley, Toto Wolff is doing everything but install a Verstappen statue in the Mercedes lobby. He hasn’t denied the team’s interest, nor has he hidden his admiration for the Dutchman. With Lewis Hamilton now committed to Ferrari and George Russell’s 2026 status still unresolved, Wolff has a tantalising Verstappen-shaped vacancy on his hands.

Add in Jos Verstappen’s long-standing friendship with Wolff, and it’s easy to imagine the conversations already taking place behind closed garage doors.

Verstappen’s unusually mellow mood

 

Back to Spielberg: why was Max so zen?

Montoya thinks the answer lies not in diplomacy, but disillusionment. “If that had decided the championship, Max would have blown up,” said the Colombian, who knows a thing or two about throwing a helmet in anger. ‘But I think when that happened, the way it happened, he probably said to himself, “I would have done exactly the same thing as Kimi”.’

A generous assessment, perhaps. But Verstappen’s weekend was miserable from the start. He qualified seventh, complained about the car’s handling throughout Friday and Saturday, and looked like a man trying to pilot a fridge through Eau Rouge. His Red Bull RB21 was wearing out its tyres and throwing them back out again. So maybe, as Montoya suggests, being taken out early was more of a relief than a tragedy.

‘I think Max had such a terrible weekend that he was probably glad it happened,’ Montoya added, delivering the kind of analysis that sounds brutal until you remember who he’s talking about.

 

Antonelli’s role: scapegoat or apprentice-in-training?

Kimi Antonelli, for his part, apologised almost immediately after the race and was handed a three-place grid penalty for Silverstone. However, some have suggested that the Italian teenager, who is widely expected to become Mercedes’ next long-term project, may be showing his competitive side early on in order to prove himself — not only within the team, but to Verstappen too.

If Max is indeed Mercedes-bound and Kimi is their long-term investment, what better way to start the bonding process than with some classic wheel-to-wheel racing? After all, nothing says ‘team building’ like one car removing another from the circuit at 200 km/h.

 

Reading the body language

Those watching the post-race footage noted the lack of finger-wagging or aggression. Verstappen walked up to Antonelli, shrugged and appeared to ask a simple question: ‘What happened?’ It wasn’t sarcasm. It wasn’t icy diplomacy. It was just understanding.

This is the same Verstappen who once told Esteban Ocon that he would “put him in the wall” after an altercation in Brazil and who famously described Charles Leclerc’s driving as “not F1 level” after a minor incident in Austria. But Antonelli? He gets the Zen Max treatment.

Curious, isn’t it?

 

Verstappen 2025: Silver or bust?

If Montoya is right, and Verstappen is already halfway out of Red Bull, then Spielberg may not be remembered as a flashpoint, but as a signpost. A subtle nod. A handover of sorts. ‘You take the win, kid. I’ll see you in silver next year.’

Because if Verstappen knows he’s leaving and that Mercedes is ready and willing, the anger fades. The stakes shift. Suddenly, the kid who wrecked your race isn’t your enemy. He’s your future teammate. Your apprentice. Your future number two… or maybe even number one.

And that, dear reader, is the kind of dramatic narrative that Juan Pablo Montoya thrives on.

Whether it’s wild speculation or prophetic insight is anyone’s guess. But, with Verstappen looking increasingly fed up with Red Bull’s political drama and Mercedes hungry for redemption, don’t be surprised if, by 2025, Turn 3 in Spielberg becomes a scene of foreshadowing rather than frustration.

After all, in Formula 1, nothing is accidental. Especially not forgiveness.

 

 

MORE F1 NEWS – Verstappen ultimatum BOMBSHELL over Horner

The pressure is mounting at Red Bull Racing, and it isn’t just coming from McLaren’s recent success in Austria. Following Max Verstappen’s shocking retirement from the race at the Red Bull Ring, thanks to a clumsy manoeuvre by Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, attention has shifted from the racetrack to the team garage. According to emerging reports, the most explosive fallout yet could be looming behind the scenes.

The reigning champion’s entourage has reportedly issued a bold ultimatum: if Red Bull want to keep Verstappen, they may have to let Horner go — or at least rein him in.

 

McLaren Takes Control, Red Bull Left Reeling

The Austrian Grand Prix was supposed to be a homecoming celebration for Red Bull. Instead, it became a grim metaphor for the team’s 2025 season. Just three corners into the race, Verstappen’s RB21 was already limping back to the garage with terminal damage, the result of Antonelli misjudging the brake zone and turning Verstappen into a passenger.

Meanwhile, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a dominant one-two finish for McLaren, further exacerbating the internal fractures and waning competitiveness of a team already struggling.

As Verstappen watched the chequered flag from the pit wall, rumours began to circulate…READ MORE ON THIS STORY