McLaren Racing has reportedly held exploratory talks with the management team of Max Verstappen regarding a potential future transfer, according to reports from The Daily Mail on June 27, 2026.
The development follows mounting frustrations over performance stability at Red Bull Racing for the four-time Formula 1 world champion.
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Mercedes Option Closes
Alternative options for Verstappen have narrowed, particularly at Mercedes, where British driver George Russell publicly confirmed his future during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.
"There is no announcement this weekend. But I am going to race here next year.
Honderd procent," said Russell. "It has not even been discussed, because we do not need to talk about it."
With the Mercedes pathway closed due to existing contract structures, McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown has expressed significant interest in pairing Verstappen with Lando Norris to form a dominant lineup, according to De Telegraaf.
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The proposed transition is further supported by the upcoming departure of Verstappen's long-term race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, who is scheduled to move from Red Bull Racing to work under McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella.
"It is an idea where McLaren is enthusiastic about.
If it goes through, that could be in 2028, but it could even be earlier," reported The Daily Mail.
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Contract clauses within Oscar Piastri's current agreement could potentially allow an early exit from McLaren after the current season, creating the necessary vacancy for the prospective multi-year deal.
