Ola Kallenius, the Mercedes chief executive, has reportedly approved the team’s move for Red Bull driver Max Verstappen for the F1 2026 season. Despite being officially under contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season, Verstappen has been heavily linked with a move to Mercedes over recent weeks.

Fernando Alonso has jokingly offered to act as a ‘consultant’ for Max Verstappen over his potential move to Mercedes. Speculation is mounting that the reigning world champion will end his stay with Red Bull at the end of the 2025 season, having first joined the team’s development programme at the age of 17.