Max Verstappen to Ferrari? ‘I would have advised him to go’ says Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone believes Max Verstappen missed his best chance to join Ferrari last year, though he warns the Scuderia comes with a unique challenge of its own.

Problems he simply summed up as “too many Italians” in the mix.

Max Verstappen Ferrari move discussed by Bernie Ecclestone

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Although Verstappen has a long-term contract with Red Bull that runs through to the end of the F1 2028 season, the Dutchman has an escape clause that allows him to leave the team if he is below second place in the drivers’ standings at the summer break.

He is 58 points behind second-placed George Russell with just three races until the deadline.

As that looms, Verstappen has been linked to Mercedes, although Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff shut that down when he said he does “not want to change things”, and also McLaren.

However, the Woking team also isn’t looking to change its line-up of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

“I’d be very surprised if Lando or Oscar went elsewhere, because they are very happy,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown told Sky Sports. “Of course, they have contracts, but besides that, we’re very happy with them and they are very happy here.”

Former F1 supremo Ecclestone warned Verstappen to give serious consideration to the pros and cons before deciding his Formula 1 future.

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“I think you have to weigh all of these things,” he told PlanetF1.com and other media in Austria. “What’s the upside and what’s the downside?

“If he stays, is it bad and how bad? If he goes, where does he go and will it be better? Not easy.”

Asked what team he believes Verstappen should join, the 95-year-old replied: “I would have advised him last year to go to Ferrari.”

But even that comes with its own set of problems.

Although Ferrari sits second behind Mercedes in the constructors’ championship, the Scuderia has been criticised this season for strategy mistakes and even its development plan.

While rival teams have staggered their upgrades, Ferrari went all-in at the Miami Grand Prix and was left questioning what exactly went wrong as the team recorded its first Grand Prix off the podium.

“The trouble with Ferrari,” declared Ecclestone, “I think there’s too many Italians that’s involved, explaining what to do and what not to do.

“You just need really one person do this or do that. Whether they’re right or wrong, time will tell them.”

But while Ferrari joining Ferrari may come with a downside, Ecclestone cannot see a negative for any team in signing Verstappen.

“I mean if I had a team now, the first thing I’d like to do is get Max onboard at whatever cost,” he said, “because it’s cheaper than me trying to build a new car.”

Verstappen, though, won’t be off to Ferrari next season as the Scuderia’s driver line-up is locked in.

Charles Leclerc recently signed a new long-term extension, while Hamilton has made it clear that he is going nowhere with the Briton reportedly holding an option that only he can use for the F1 2027 season.

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