McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull and join Mercedes at the end of the 2025 F1 season.

The future of four-time world champion Verstappen is set to be one of the biggest talking points this year as he continues to be linked with a switch to Mercedes and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Aston Martin.

Verstappen is under contract to168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Red Bull until th෴e end of 2028 but it is understood there🔯 are specific performance-based exit clauses in his deal which would enable him to leave if certain conditions are not met.

Toto Wolff made a very public pursuit of Verstappen in 2024 as Mercedes looked for a replacement for seven-time world champion 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton after he decided to make a blockbuster move to Ferrari.

But Mercedes ultimately signed Italian teenager 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Kimi Antonelli, promoting him after a single season in Formula 2 to partner 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:George Russell, whose contract expires at the end🅺 of the season.

Brown says he ♛anticipates Verstappen will quit Red B🎃ull before major new regulations come into force in 2026 and reckons his most likely destination will be Mercedes.

“Oh I think he’ll leave at the end of this year,” Brown told , “most likely 🌸to Merc.

“There’s been talk ofꦍ Aston Martin, too, with Adriaඣn Newey joining. But as great as Adrian is – and he’s the greatest ever – you need a whole team around you. You need the culture. That takes time.

“If I was betting, I’d bet on Merc. In the last 10 ye💛ars, they’ve won the championship seven or eight times. Last year they won five races. ඣThey have stability.

“We know Toto [Wolff, Mercedes principal and one-third team owner] likes him. And I think we all feel HPP [Mercedes High ℱPerformance Powertrains] is best-equipped on the power unit side heading into the new engine regulations next year.

“Plus, George [Russell] i🧜s out of contract at t꧋he end of this season and Kimi [Antonelli] will be on a series of one-years.”

Mercedes appear to rule out Max Verstappen move

However, over the season-opening Australian Grand Prix weekend, Wolff stressed he is no longer trying to lure Verstap🐷pen from Red Bull.

Instead, Wolff insisted Mercedes are fo♋cused on their current two drivers, revealing he plans to open talks with Russell about a new deal in the coming months.

“We need to concentrate o🐈n our driver lineಌ-up. I don't flirt outside if I'm in a good relationship,” Wolff said in Melbourne.

"So at the moment that [a move for Verstappen] is not on any radar. I don't plan to shift my concentration away from these guys and [will] make sure that George ha๊s some vi🦩sibility very soon, or has a contract very soon."