Max Verstappen ‘musical chairs’ but is he leaving Red Bull for McLaren?

Emerson Fittipaldi believes a Max Verstappen move to McLaren would spark a Formula 1 “musical chairs” driver market, but Juan Pablo Montoya is convinced the reigning World Champion has no intention of leaving Red Bull.

Formula 1 headed into the summer break without any official word on Verstappen’s future, with multiple sources telling PlanetF1.com that the Red Bull driver is in talks with McLaren.

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Last year, Verstappen declared as Formula 1 headed into its summer break that it was “time to basically stop all the rumours” as for him it had “always been quite clear that I was staying anyway”.

This year, there’s been no such confirmation.

Instead, the four-time world champion has been non-committal even when pressed on his future.

Linked to a switch to McLaren, Verstappen has refused to put an end to the rumours.

Asked if he could provide an update on his future, he told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media: “No.”

Any thoughts on the speculation? “Nothing.”

Committed to Red Bull? “I said there’s nothing to say.”

Verstappen was then asked if he wanted to stay at Red Bull next season, but again he gave nothing away.

“I don’t want to go say yes and no, and this and that about my future,” he replied.

“I said already many times that if there was something new, I would say it myself.”

But while he did later call Red Bull his “second family” and spoke of “loyalty”, he has not shut down the reports.

Fittipaldi believes Verstappen would set off a very interesting silly season if he decides to leave Red Bull.

“It’s always difficult to give an opinion on what’s going on,” he told the official F1 website. “I don’t know his relationship. I don’t know what they are doing for next year.

“Max is an incredible talent. He carries his car on his back.

“I think he has a big loyalty to the team, and I like that. I always liked to run many years on a team, as much as I could go. I think he has this loyalty.

“But possibly, he can leave. If that happened, it would be musical chairs. It’s going to move everybody.

“I think this part of F1 is exciting. The fans, ‘Who’s going to be [there]? Where are they going?’ It’s part of the sport.”

But while Verstappen has refused to publicly commit to Red Bull, Juan Pablo Montoya believes that’s more a case of him wanting to put pressure on the team than of actually wanting to leave.

“I don’t think Max wants to leave Red Bull,” said the former Williams and McLaren driver.

“You’re in one of the best F1 teams, probably the best team in the last 20 years, with Mercedes. You’re in the right place.

“Yes, it’s changed because a lot of people have left, but they’re still performing. Last year, they nearly came back and won the championship. I think he wants to see that from the team, and it’s just about putting pressure on them.”

Gerhard Berger, meanwhile, says Verstappen must have a bit of patience with his team as it is only a matter of time before Red Bull is again on the top step of the podium.

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The former Ferrari driver said: “I’m a fan of Max. I think he’s an outstanding driver.

“When I look and see Red Bull, they built a brand-new engine. Yes, they got people from other companies, but to compete with the experience of Mercedes or Ferrari, and being competitive already in the first year of doing your own engine, it’s actually quite impressive.

“That they have some reliability failures in the moment, it’s not nice, especially when it’s wings, but the others also have reliability issues.

“I think if Max continues to work quietly with the team, and they get some more good people on board, I would say in six to 12 months, I see them again being very, very competitive.”

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