Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has offered a cutting response to George Russell’s comments about Max Verstappen’s potential future with Mercedes, brushing them off as part of a “theoretical game” of speculation nonsense.
Russell stirred the pot on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix by admitting that Verstappen is a factor in his own contract discussions with Mercedes.
The British driver, whose current deal with the Brackley squad ends at the end of this season, suggested that talks between Verstappen and Mercedes are active – a claim that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff notably did not deny.
Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull through 2028, but amid a challenging 2025 season and uncertainty over the team’s trajectory under the 2026 regulations, rumors of a potential exit continue to swirl, supported by the presence of a performance clause in the Dutchman’s contract with his employer.
Just a Theoretical Game
However, Marko, speaking to the media at the Red Bull Ring, showed little patience for the ongoing conjecture – or for Russell’s role in fueling it.
“What’s up with him now?” Marko said when asked about Russell’s comments. After clarification, he added with a dose of sarcasm: “Russell does talk, but I thought he had a fixed contract for next year.”
Taking a jab at Russell, who won the Canadian Grand Prix earlier this month, Marko continued: “That must have changed since Montreal. Did his victory hurt him?”
Read also: Wolff grilled over Verstappen talks – doesn’t shut down speculationMarko made it clear he had no interest in the chatter: “Well, I have no opinion on that. Russell talks too much.”
In closing, he dismissed the entire premise of the speculation, saying simply: “It’s just a theoretical game.”
With neither side offering concrete answers, Verstappen’s future remains a question – but Marko’s reaction leaves little doubt about Red Bull’s view of the current noise.
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Marko addresses Verstappen speculation: ‘Russell talks too much’ F1i.com.
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