What team will Max Verstappen go to?

[Honda Porsche fan]

Purely speculative at this point but, a two part question. What team do you guys think Max Verstappen will end up with and second, which team does he have the best chance to win the title with?

I think when Max's contract is up with Red Bull it will either be Aston Martin or Mercedes that lands him. My gut instinct tells me that he would have a better chance of winning a championship with Mercedes a proven established winner and current race winner of the 2024 season (British GP, Las Vegas GP) vs the unknown of Aston Martin/Honda/Adrian Newey/Andy Cowell team. Or, not to say Aston Martin will never win a title, it's just that I think it will take too many years of rebuilding and I would imagine Max like any driver would want to jump into a competitive ride immediately and not have to wait 3 to 5 years.

To go from towards the bottom of the grid as to where Aston Martin is now to title winner I think is too unrealistic. They would have to leap frog around 5 teams. A safer bet is with Mercedes or even McLaren IMO.

[Jurgen von Diaz]

Max has talked about driving Ferrari, my bet is Ferrari. When Hamilton retires or Leclerc changes team.

[stewie325]

From 2026 we'll have another engine formula, so if he's a betting man he should probably go to Merc.

Very rarely has anyone made a better engine than Merc this century.

[Jurgen von Diaz]

From 2026 we'll have another engine formula, so if he's a betting man he should probably go to Merc.

Very rarely has anyone made a better engine than Merc this century.

There is speculation that Merc's engine will be supreme, but one thing bugs me: why did Hamilton change to Ferrari? Does Hamilton know something we don't?

[Sieper]

Already now we have the Haas qualifying near podium, The sauber suddenly taking points. All these cars have a Ferrari engine.

[Gillian]

Max has talked about driving Ferrari, my bet is Ferrari. When Hamilton retires or Leclerc changes team.

To Ferrari is a lot more likely than many think. I called it months ago, it will happen.

[Honda Porsche fan]

From 2026 we'll have another engine formula, so if he's a betting man he should probably go to Merc.

Very rarely has anyone made a better engine than Merc this century.

There is speculation that Merc's engine will be supreme, but one thing bugs me: why did Hamilton change to Ferrari? Does Hamilton know something we don't?

I think that was due to Petronas Mercedes not being as dominant as they once were and Red Bull over taking them. Also, the Ferrari prestige. Lewis wants to feel what it's like being a Ferrari driver before he retires maybe?

[Honda Porsche fan]

Already now we have the Haas qualifying near podium, The sauber suddenly taking points. All these cars have a Ferrari engine.

Yes but, McLaren Mercedes is beating all of them now with the Merc engine. In 2025, if McLaren is consistently faster than the Petronas Merc team throughout the 2025 season and if McLaren wins the 2025 driver's or constructors title that could be luring for Max.

[Honda Porsche fan]

I also think that it's due to who has or will have the best wind tunnel in the coming years.

Aston Martin has a new wind tunnel about to be built.

McLaren currently has a new wind tunnel that's benefitting them greatly now.

Red Bull is having a new wind tunnel built.

Ferrari? Do they have a new wind tunnel about to be built?

Has F1 turned into a battle of who has the best wind tunnel?...
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/has- ... /10653339/

[Sieper]

Already now we have the Haas qualifying near podium, The sauber suddenly taking points. All these cars have a Ferrari engine.

Yes but, McLaren Mercedes is beating all of them now with the Merc engine. In 2025, if McLaren is consistently faster than the Petronas Merc team throughout the 2025 season and if McLaren wins the 2025 driver's or constructors title that could be luring for Max.

I think Mclaren’s succes was not the engine. But ALL Ferrari engined cars Made a bit of a leap these last few races.

[Farnborough]

Already now we have the Haas qualifying near podium, The sauber suddenly taking points. All these cars have a Ferrari engine.

Yes but, McLaren Mercedes is beating all of them now with the Merc engine. In 2025, if McLaren is consistently faster than the Petronas Merc team throughout the 2025 season and if McLaren wins the 2025 driver's or constructors title that could be luring for Max.

In championship terms, they only really beat 1/2 or RB. Yes I understand the reason, but can't in all honest appraisal be an indicator of pure technical performance in the car.

[Farnborough]

I also think that it's due to who has or will have the best wind tunnel in the coming years.

Aston Martin has a new wind tunnel about to be built.

McLaren currently has a new wind tunnel that's benefitting them greatly now.

Red Bull is having a new wind tunnel built.

Ferrari? Do they have a new wind tunnel about to be built?

Has F1 turned into a battle of who has the best wind tunnel?...
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/has- ... /10653339/

New isn't the operative quality here. RB have won all 8 WDC etc with an ex cold War surplus tunnel installation. It really is the thinking of the people that leads development.

New maybe desirable, but not a guarantee. More fundamental understanding of what you're going to do with either aged installation.

[ali623]

From 2026 we'll have another engine formula, so if he's a betting man he should probably go to Merc.

Very rarely has anyone made a better engine than Merc this century.

There is speculation that Merc's engine will be supreme, but one thing bugs me: why did Hamilton change to Ferrari? Does Hamilton know something we don't?

Because he wanted to drive for Ferrari before he retired, and this was his last chance.

[ab_f1]

With Toto only offering 1 year contract. With 2 year contract on table from Ferrari and lure of being Ferrari driver before he retires probably was the driving factor. He would never go to RB so now he has been with 3 other great teams.

[outer_bongolia]

I'm sure Ferrari after Hamilton. He was trying to take out McLarens to score some points towards his future employment yesterday at Abu Dhabi