Max Verstappen🗹 won’t leave Red Bull for Mercedes next year but 2026 represents a fresh opportunity, it has been predicted.

Merced𒐪es boss Toto Wolff has placed Verstappen at the top of his wish-list to replace Lewis Hamiltღon, who will go to Ferrari next year.

The furore at Red Bull behind-the-scenes - which now looks 𓂃set to include Adrian Newey’s exit - has given Mercedes hope of poaching Verstappen.

“I wouldn’t leave ♔a car that’s winning,” F1 tech ex🌊pert Albert Fabrega told the F1 Nation podcast when asked about Verstappen.

“It’s a chess game that is playing on the table, with a lot of factors and 📖a lot of drivers involved.

“But if I was 💜Max Verstappen? I wouldn’t leave the seat of a car that, I guess, in 2025 is going to be the winning car.

“If you asked me the same question about 2026?

“Then I’m not sure. I will not put any money…

“But for me… 2025, Max will stay.

“He knows how difficult it is to win a championship. He’s in a win💦ning team with a winning car and wit🎀h winning momentum.

“Why would you change that?

“Moving to a team that, today, is fighting for fifth or sixth posi🙈tion?”

Tom Clarkson, the FIA press 🙈confere🤪nce host, replied: “I think he knows that.

“There’s nothing in his body language,🦩 or anything that comes out of his mouth, that makes me think he’s about to leave Red B♔ull.

“And even he was ༺saying ‘I am happier in this car than ⛦I was last year’.”

B▨ut in 2026 the new F1 regulations will come i𓆏nto effect.

And, 🔯the future of Newey could have a serious impact.

Chief technical officer Newey is expected to leave Red Bull and could end up at a rival team, with Mercedes among those who would ⭕surely be keen.

🦄Newey’s brains are behind the cars that Verstappen has driven to his three championships so far, and the RB20 which is set to give him a fourth.

Wolff, speaking before the news of Newey’s exit, spoke about “other factors” that could determine Verst൩appen’s future beyond the brilliance of his 2024 car.