{"id":587397,"date":"2026-04-07T05:38:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T05:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/587397\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T05:38:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T05:38:09","slug":"max-verstappen-warned-over-risk-of-joining-mercedes-in-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/587397\/","title":{"rendered":"Max Verstappen warned over risk of joining Mercedes in 2027"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former F1<\/a> driver Riccardo Patrese believes Max Verstappen<\/a> would find himself alongside the reigning world champion next year if he were to join Mercedes.After three races, Kimi Antonelli<\/a> and George Russell<\/a> are firmly locked in the title fight, with the Italian now leading the standings by nine points following his Suzuka victory and his team-mate\u2019s fourth-place finish.<\/p>\n

With Mercedes looking so dominant, it is easy to expect the championship battle to revolve primarily around the two Silver Arrows, much like McLaren\u2019s intra-team fight in the first half of last season, before Verstappen and Red Bull staged their comeback.<\/p>\n

Speaking to a betting site, the former Williams driver acknowledged Verstappen as the best driver on the current grid and suggested that whoever misses out on the title would have to leave Mercedes.<\/p>\n

\u201cKimi and Russell both have the chance to win the championship. One of the two will be world champion this season.<\/p>\n

“If Max wants to go to Mercedes, and I think he will be able to do it because he is still the best driver in Formula 1<\/a>, at that point whoever his teammate will be the reigning world champion. We will see if it will be Russell or Kimi.\u201dMake GPblog your preferred source on Google and see our content first in Google Discover<\/a> and Google News.<\/a>\"verstappen-suzuka\"\/<\/p>\n

Photo: Race Pictures<\/p>\n

Irvine downplays Verstappen retirement threats: ‘F1 doesn’t need Max’<\/p>\n

The Dutchman has continued to cast doubt over his long-term future in Formula 1, openly questioning whether the sport still delivers the same level of excitement and leaving the possibility of an exit at the end of the season firmly on the table.<\/p>\n

Follow GPblog on social media to stay updated on all Formula 1 news: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and TikTok.<\/a>Irvine, however, is unfazed by those remarks. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Ferrari driver downplayed the impact of a potential departure, arguing that the grid is already packed with talent capable of stepping up.<\/a><\/p>\n

He also pointed out that, despite Verstappen\u2019s current frustrations – particularly with running in the midfield – the financial incentives at play remain a significant factor, suggesting there are compelling reasons for the Dutchman to continue.<\/p>\n

Stay up to date with the latest Formula 1 news? Follow GPblog.com on WhatsApp Channels<\/a> andreceive the most important updates first. Listen to or watch the GPblog.com video podcast. In the F1 Paddock Update, Jim Kimberley and Ben Hunt discuss the latest Formula 1 news. New episodes are available every Monday and Thursday on YouTube<\/a>, Spotify<\/a>, or your favourite podcast app.