Rachel Brookes settles Max Verstappen theory after Sky F1 exit

Rachel Brookes silenced a rumour she saw linking Max Verstappen and her surprise Sky F1 exit. The presenter also predicted Verstappen will join Mercedes.

Brookes made it clear that the abhorrent online abuse which she faced, following a Verstappen Barcelona 2025 interview, was not why she left Sky F1. She said this situation was “resolved very quickly.” Brookes, who has a “great relationship” with Verstappen, believes he is looking for a Red Bull exit and tipped him to replace George Russell at Mercedes.

Rachel Brookes predicts Max Verstappen to Mercedes

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Brookes parted ways with Sky F1 last month after more than a decade with the broadcaster. She was a key pillar of its Formula 1 coverage via Sky F1.

A Sky Sports spokesperson told PlanetF1.com: “Rachel has moved on from the Sky Sports F1 team to take on new challenges as we evolve our coverage.

“Rachel has been an asset for the team and we wish her well in her new endeavours.”

Brookes appeared on the Essential F1 podcast following the Hungarian Grand Prix. She took that opportunity to quash a rumour which she had seen regarding her departure from Sky.

Earlier this year, Brookes opened up on the “horrific” online abuse which she suffered after a Verstappen interview. Said interview was conducted after Verstappen’s controversial Barcelona 2025 collision with Russell.

Brookes was keen to stress that this played no part at all in her subsequent decision to leave Sky a year later.

“It was nothing to do with comments and abuse I got online last year at all,” said Brookes.

“That was resolved very quickly, and I’ve got a great relationship with Max. So absolutely nothing to do with that.

“I know a lot of people thought that, and there were some articles written. Absolutely not the case, at all.”

After that positive update on the state of relations between herself and Verstappen, Brookes dropped a bombshell prediction over Verstappen’s future in Formula 1.

Verstappen has swerved the chance to shut down renewed ‘silly season’ speculation, all fuelled by a performance-related exit clause in his Red Bull contract.

Sitting outside the top two in the championship in sixth at the summer break, it is widely reported that Verstappen could now trigger that clause, if he wishes.

Verstappen to McLaren is the rumour which has gathered momentum over recent months. Brookes believes that Verstappen is looking for a Red Bull escape route. But she expects him to land at Mercedes.

Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal and co-owner, has stated several times that he is happy with the line-up of championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Russell.

“I still think Max is looking for an exit,” Brookes claimed, “because I feel like yes, he’s showing us all what he can do right now, and we’re all impressed and we’re like Max is amazing, because he is, but he wants to be winning again.

“He doesn’t want to have to show that he can get a car that should be 10th up to second. He wants to be winning races again. Much as it looked easy for him before, he still wants to win. He still wants a trophy at home.

“With all the people that have left there [Red Bull] now, Michael Manning the latest to go, I still feel that he’s looking around, going, ‘I’ve done my time. I’ve given you everything I possibly can, and now I want to go somewhere I can win again.’

“I think Max will go to Mercedes alongside Antonelli.

“It’s just in my head still. Toto missed out on him before. I think that still bugs him. I think he would feel like that was a massive coup to get him from Red Bull now.

“I also think Max would really love to go up against Kimi Antonelli.

“Toto said, ‘No, he wanted too much money. He wanted three years’ or whatever. I still see it happening.”

More on Max Verstappen from PlanetF1.com

‘Moron’ Liam Lawson declares ‘a very Max move’

‘Sorry’ – Untelevised Lewis Hamilton team radio emerges after Verstappen ambush

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies recently PlanetF1.com and others that “Max has made clear to us that he wants to continue with the team. It’s equally clear that he needs a fast car for him to be happy with the team.”

He added: “If the car is back where we want it to be, there will be no discussion.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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