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

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has placed Verstappen at the top of his wis🌸h-list to replace Lewis Hamilton, who will go to Ferrari next year.

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

“I wouldn’t leave a car thaไt’s winning,” F1 tech expert Albert Fabrega told the F1 Nation podcast when asked about Verstappen.

“It’s a chess game that is p𒈔laying 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 s🌊eat 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 winning team with a winnin𒈔g car and with winning mome🐭ntum.

“Why would you change that?

“Moving to a team that, today, is fighting for fifth or sixth 📖position?”

Tom Clarkso꧃n, the FIA press conference host, replied: “I think he knows that.

“There’s nothing in his body language, or anything that comes out of his mo🌟uth, that makes me think he’s about to leave Red Bull.

“And even he was say🏅ing ‘I am h🍎appier in this car than I was last year’.”

But🎐 in 2026 the new F1 regulations will come into effect.

And, the future of Newey coul𒁏d have a serious impact.

Chief technical officer Newey is expected to leave Red Bull and could end u🥀p 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’ℱs exit, spoke about “other factors” that could determine Verstappen’s future beyond the brilliance of his 2024 car𒆙.