Verstappen Formula 1 future with Mercedes or Aston Martin?

Speaking to the CasinoHawks media team, Montoya questioned Mercedes’ silence on Russell’s renewal. “George really is close to competing for the championship. He’s there. So, the question for me is, has he signed again with Mercedes? And if he has signed, why hasn't it been announced? What is Mercedes waiting for? Are they waiting to see how the Max situation unfolds at Red Bull?”

In a bout of early Silly Season silliness, seven-time Formula 1 winner Montoya floated a possible scenario where Mercedes may be weighing up Verstappen as a replacement: “Let’s say you bring Max in. Do you get rid of George, or do you get rid of Kimi [Antonelli]? That’s a tough decision.

"If you’re Mercedes, are you willing to risk it all and rely, at this point, on Antonelli, watching the way George is driving every week? Would you give away George? I don’t care how much money and time they put into Antonelli, it's not an easy decision.”

Montoya suggested a Verstappen switch to Mercedes would likely force Russell out: George may leave because he won’t want to play number two at Mercedes. So that’s why maybe the Fernando rumour at Alpine has come about. That I think is bullsh!t.”

Asked where Verstappen should go if he were to leave Red Bull, Montoya was clear: “If I were Max, and if you're thinking 2026-2027, you want to be with Mercedes, personally speaking. If I could pick anywhere to go, I would go to Mercedes. If I were looking at 2027 onwards to say 2030, I think Aston might be the place to be.”

Montoya pointed out that Verstappen’s F1 future success hinges not on his talent but on Red Bull’s ability to deliver a competitive package under the 2026 regulation reset. “The question is the 2026 rules. The question is not how good Max is.

"You can say Lewis won seven. But Lewis was in the right car for six of them. And the other one as well, McLaren. He left McLaren at the right time and went to Mercedes at the right time,” Montoya ventured.

Red Bull’s post-Adrian Newey era will be pivotal, predicts Montoya. “Can they still dominate with the new rules with no Adrian Newey? This is the first time Red Bull is going to go to a new regulation era without Newey. That’s the million-dollar question.

"I think that's probably more in the back of Jos' mind than Max's. Jos has been around longer and understands it better, and he understands how important it is to have the right person building the car," added the Colombian 49-year-old.

Montoya concluded by hailing Newey’s contribution to F1 history: “Adrian is outstanding. If somebody deserves a trophy for F1 championships, it should be him more than anybody else.” The design guru is now with Aston Martin.