Verstappen warned against McLaren switch: 'He wouldn't be the number one there anymore'

Fresh reports claim representatives from Max Verstappen's camp have held talks with McLaren amid ongoing speculation over the Dutchman's future. The discussions are understood to have been initiated by Verstappen's side rather than the Woking-based team.

Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Ralf Schumacher suggested that while McLaren would likely be interested in signing Max Verstappen, a move would come with significant compromises. He argued that the Dutchman would no longer enjoy the undisputed number one status he currently has at Red Bull, where the team is built around him, and also pointed out that Verstappen would no longer race for a works team.

Continuing his assessment, Schumacher also urged Verstappen not to underestimate Red Bull's position. He suggested the Dutchman could still remain with the team if its current development direction proves successful, while stressing that the personal side of the relationship should not be overlooked.

Schumacher pointed out that Red Bull played a fundamental role in Verstappen's rise to the top, with Helmut Marko discovering him and the team investing heavily in his career from the beginning. He added that, although Verstappen could potentially match his current salary elsewhere, only Red Bull offers him a team built entirely around him, making any decision to leave far from straightforward.

With speculation over Verstappen's future continuing to dominate the F1 paddock, McLaren CEO Zak Brown was asked whether the reigning world champion could one day join the Woking-based team.

While making it clear that McLaren is fully committed to its current driver pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Brown refused to completely dismiss the possibility of signing Verstappen under extraordinary circumstances. He stressed that both drivers are happy at the team and under contract, but acknowledged that a driver of Verstappen's calibre would naturally always be of interest.

“Well, I’d be very surprised if Lando [Norris] or Oscar [Piastri] went elsewhere because they’re very happy. Of course, we’ve got contracts, but even besides that, contract aside, we’re very happy with them. They’re very happy here. If, for some strange reason, someone slipped on a banana peel getting out of the tub, then yeah, of course, Max is a four-time world champion.”