Sky Sports F1 commentator and former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle dismissed recent speculation that four-time world champion Max Verstappen would move to McLaren, describing such rumors as "an integral part of the paddock." Brundle's comments were made live during the British GP weekend.
He has a contract until 2028, yet his name has been linked with other teams.
Despite having a contract with Red Bull valid until the end of 2028, Verstappen continues to be linked with both McLaren and Mercedes. The Dutch driver has also openly stated that he might end his career if he doesn't enjoy the new technical regulations. Brundle, however, believes there is a systematic calculation behind this situation.
“Max Verstappen is currently the best driver on the grid, that’s my personal opinion. He’s still the fastest, the most consistent, and the one who makes the fewest mistakes,” Brundle continued, adding: “Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull — those are the top four teams. As a driver manager, you have to look around, and as a team principal, you have to do the same.”
Brundle commented on Verstappen's camp's interference with Red Bull management.
Brundle also touched on the pressure Verstappen's circle exerted on Red Bull management. “If he could leave Red Bull… the team, Verstappen, wanted to shake up Red Bull management, and they did that extremely successfully. They started with Christian and continued from there. I think they did a little too well in taking some people out of the picture at Red Bull,” he said.
The former F1 driver explained why rumors are so widespread using the example of Ron Dennis: “Ron Dennis was a genius at it; he would connect 12 drivers on the phone at the same time, and we would all think we had a chance to get into McLaren. But he was just gathering information from drivers in other teams. It’s an inevitable part of the small world we live in. Every two weeks we meet on the same 400 meters of concrete and asphalt; it’s everyone’s job to find out who’s available.”
Brundle's comments come at a time when Verstappen's relationship with Red Bull is becoming increasingly strained and the technical regulations after 2026 remain uncertain. In the British GP sprint race, Lewis Hamilton took pole position ahead of Kimi Antonelli.