Button’s Verstappen warning as ‘strange move’ Mercedes rumour continues

Jenson Button has warned Max Verstappen that the grass may not be greener at Mercedes, after all, he is “not going” to have a car that’s designed around his driving style.

But should he make the move, the 2009 World Champion has urged Mercedes to retain George Russell as his team-mate over Kimi Antonelli as that would be a “better” pairing.

Jenson Button questions Max Verstappen to Mercedes

Verstappen has once again found himself linked to Mercedes, with reports claiming he’s talking with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff about joining the Silver Arrows ahead of the F1 2026 reset.

Although the Dutchman is under contract with Red Bull for the next three seasons, there is an exit clause that would allow him to leave if he’s lower than fourth after the Hungarian Grand Prix. There is very little chance of that happening as he sits 46 points ahead of fifth-placed Charles Leclerc with a total of 50 points in play before the deadline.

However, he – or Mercedes – could buy him out of his contract, with the fee said to be upward of £100m.

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Red Bull chiefs have, according to speculation, done what they could to persuade the Dutchman to stay by sacking now former team principal Christian Horner in the wake of the British Grand Prix.

But whether that’s enough, only time will tell as Verstappen is only expected to make a decision in August. The Dutchman’s deadline, which was revealed by Nelson Piquet Jr., coincides with Wolff’s summer break timeframe.

While a lot has been said about the impact that Verstappen leaving would have on Red Bull to lose their four-time World Champion and main points-scorer, Button says Verstappen too could be negatively affected. After all, the Mercedes wouldn’t design a car that played to his strengths first and foremost.

“It’s a tricky one for Max, because he’s in a position where he’s doing so well with Red Bull – they’ve given him so much over the years,” the Briton told The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X.

“They’ve designed this car around him, and he’s extremely good at it. Nobody can match him in that car. They’re so far off him. I mean, him qualifying third or fourth, and them qualifying 18th.

“If he goes to Mercedes, it’s a different thing altogether. You know, that car is not going to be designed around him. So, is it going to work for him? I don’t know.

“I mean, the best in the world should be able to make that work for him.”

Should Verstappen swap Red Bull for Mercedes, Button is hoping Wolff retains Russell as his team-mate.

Both Russell and Antonelli are out of contract with Mercedes at the end of this season, however, speculation is that it is Russell who would make way for Verstappen.

Button has called that a “strange move”.

Although Verstappen and Russell have had a few fiery clashes in recent years, as they locked horns in Qatar when Verstappen accused Russell of throwing him under the bus with the stewards in a qualifying tussle, followed by this year’s Canadian GP Safety Car braking moment, the 2009 World Champion reckons they’d make a very strong line-up. Stronger than Verstappen and Antonelli.

“It’s a tough one on George, because George is at the top of his game,” Button said.

“I think he’s been so competitive. When you see what he did against Lewis [Hamilton] in the last few years, he is World Championship material.

“So, to replace him with Max, it just seems like a strange move.

“I know they’ve got the young Kimi Antonelli, who’s 18, who could be a future star. But we still don’t know that.

“Whereas George is there, he is good, and you need two very competitive drivers with this new era of the sport. Next year, obviously lots of regulation changes, car change, engine change.

“So, for me, George and Max would be a better line-up.”

“I would love to see it!” he added.

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