Christian Horner has said it would be “embarrassing” for Mercedes if his Red Bull team started the 2026 season ahead of them, amid ongoing uncertainty over Max Verstappen’s future.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has shared his concerns about Max Verstappen's potential move to the Mercedes F1 team, saying he would be a bigger threat than he is at Red Bull. George Russell recently admitted that his contract extension was on hold amid ongoing talks between Mercedes and Verstappen.

Red Bull are currently fourth in the Constructors’ Championship with 162 points, of which Verstappen has scored 155. Yuki Tsunoda, named to the team ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix as a replacement for Liam Lawson, has scored the other seven.