Christian Horner’s departure was only the beginning of the chaos at Red Bull. Now, from Milton Keynes, the team appears ready to let go of its biggest star: Max Verstappen. According to German outlet F1-Insider, the energy drink team will not stand in the way if the Dutchman wants to leave—so long as he doesn’t trigger any performance clauses in his contract.

Even though he’s under contract until 2028, Red Bull would be open to negotiating a financial settlement to end the deal, avoiding a long legal battle. Reports suggest the buyout could reach €100 million, though GPBlog claims that's higher than what Mercedes is actually willing to pay.

Mercedes has already said “yes”

On the other side, Mercedes has already greenlit the move. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, team CEO Ola Källenius has approved the budget to sign the three-time world champion starting in 2026. Only one step remains: Verstappen needs to terminate his current deal with Red Bull.

A performance clause could allow him to leave early if Red Bull finishes outside the top four before the summer break. Should that happen, Mercedes would be ready to sign the highest-paid driver in Formula 1, who currently earns $75 million per year, far more than potential teammates George Russell ($23M) and Kimi Antonelli ($2M).

The transfer bomb of the season?

If it goes through, Max Verstappen’s move to Mercedes would mark a turning point in Formula 1—not just because of the competitive impact, but also due to the massive financial implications and the symbolism of the sport’s dominant driver switching to Red Bull’s fiercest rival. Everything is in motion. All that’s left is for the champion to say: I’m in.