Max Verstappen 'will leave' Red Bull with Mercedes ace replacing him in a direct swap, says Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher shared a definitive prediction on Max Verstappen and his future at Red Bull. According to the former F1 driver, Verstappen will soon leave his current team and join rivals Mercedes, probably on a swap deal with George Russell.

It's needless to say how Red Bull's current form and the internal politics have adversely impacted the team. This was clear after the departure of their star aerodynamicist, Adrian Newey, and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley last year.

Adding to the woes, Red Bull's form has dipped significantly over the last few months, and currently, they stand nowhere to be the strongest team on the grid. This would be of significant importance for Verstappen, who's chasing his fifth F1 title.

Furthermore, Red Bull will independently prepare engines for the upcoming regulations in 2026 after collaborating with Ford, a sector the team has never ventured into. In a nutshell, Max Verstappen's potential move away from Red Bull to Toto Wolff's team looks possible, something Schumacher ardently believes in.

"The team he wanted to join doesn't have the financial resources. If nothing changes in the upcoming races, Max will leave," Schumacher said as per Racingnews365's Instagram. "There will be a swap between Russell and Verstappen in some form. At the moment, Mercedes is the only alternative for Verstappen."

Mercedes, on the other hand, improved from their lackluster display in 2022, and currently, they stand on par with Red Bull. On top of that, they reportedly have a significant advantage with engines for the upcoming regulations set to come alive in 2026 (as per F1 Oversteer).

The other factor could be the departure of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari, their stalwart since 2014. Hamilton's departure left a void inside the team, something George Russell, who's yet to win a championship, is yet to fill.

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McLaren boss Zak Brown on Max Verstappen: 'I think he’ll leave'

McLaren boss Zak Brown feels that Max Verstappen will leave for Mercedes at the end of this season. Even though the Dutchman is tied with Red Bull till the end of 2028, Brown believes Max Verstappen will choose the Silver Arrows for the upcoming regulations over his current team.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 - Source: Getty

"I think he’ll leave at the end of this year,” Brown told The Telegraph (via Racefans). “Most likely to Merc. If I was betting, I’d bet on Merc. In the last 10 years, they’ve won the championship seven or eight times."

"Last year they won five races. They have stability. We know Toto [Wolff] likes him. And I think we all feel HPP [Mercedes High Performance Powertrains] is best-equipped on the power unit side heading into the new engine regulations next year.”

Mercedes is indeed the most successful team in the hybrid era and won all eight Constructors' Championships from 2014 to 2021. Therefore, one could expect Verstappen to jump ship in the coming years in search of the Championship.