As the sun dipped low over the Hungaroring circuit ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Formula 1 world was on the verge of a seismic shift. Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s four-time world champion, was inches away from signing with Mercedes—a move that would have reshaped the sport’s landscape.

I’m a senior mechanic at Red Bull, part of the close-knit team that keeps Verstappen’s RB21 humming. For weeks, whispers of Max’s potential departure had swirled through our garage, but none of us expected just how close it came until the final hours.

Here’s the inside story of how a blockbuster deal fell apart over a reason so baffling it left even Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stunned.

The Build-Up: A Deal in the Works

For months, the paddock buzzed with speculation about Verstappen’s future.

Despite his dominance at Red Bull, where he’s been since his teenage debut, tensions were brewing.

The team’s adjustment to new leadership under Laurent Mekies, after Christian Horner’s abrupt exit, hadn’t been seamless. Max, always fiercely loyal, seemed unsettled by the shifting dynamics and the car’s inconsistent pace against a resurgent McLaren.

Off the track, his management was exploring options, and Mercedes was circling.

As a mechanic, I don’t sit in on those high-stakes meetings, but the garage has its own grapevine. By the time we arrived in Budapest, the rumors were deafening.

“Max to Mercedes? It’s not just talk anymore,” one of my colleagues muttered while we prepped the car. Word was that Toto Wolff had been relentless, pitching Max a vision of leading Mercedes into a new era.

The intensity of the talks was palpable—engineers, PR staff, even the tire guys were picking up snippets. By Friday practice, it felt like a done deal.

“They were still considering it even the afternoon before!” I overheard one of Max’s management team say in a hushed call near the motorhome. The negotiations had reached fever pitch, with contracts reportedly being drafted.

Toto was pulling out all the stops, offering not just a lucrative deal but a chance for Max to cement his legacy with a rival powerhouse. For a moment, it seemed Red Bull might lose its star.

The Announcement That Shocked Us

Then came Saturday, the day before the Grand Prix. Max stepped up to the media pen and declared he was staying with Red Bull. The garage exhaled, but I couldn’t shake the feeling we’d dodged a bullet.

Later that evening, over a coffee in the team hospitality, I got the full story from a colleague in the strategy team. The deal had been agonizingly close—down to the wire, with lawyers exchanging final terms that afternoon.

But it collapsed, and the reason why was almost unbelievable.

The Ridiculous Reason It Fell Apart

Here’s where it gets absurd.

Mercedes and Verstappen’s team had agreed on nearly everything: salary, contract length, even performance clauses tied to the 2026 regulation changes. The sticking point? A clause about Max’s sim-racing schedule.

Max, a passionate gamer, often competes in virtual races late into the night, sometimes even during Grand Prix weekends. It’s his way of unwinding, and he’s adamant it doesn’t affect his performance. Red Bull’s always been fine with it—heck, we’ve got sim rigs in the motorhome for him.

But Mercedes, or rather Toto, wanted control. Their legal team inserted a clause limiting Max’s sim-racing hours, citing “driver wellness” and “focus optimization.” They argued that late-night gaming could compromise his edge, especially with Mercedes banking on him to outduel McLaren’s Piastri and Norris.

Max’s camp pushed back hard, insisting it was non-negotiable. By Saturday afternoon, the talks hit a wall. Toto, stunned, reportedly called the demand “petty” and couldn’t believe Max’s team would let a multi-million-dollar deal implode over virtual racing. “It’s not about the hours; it’s about trust,” one of Max’s advisors allegedly told Wolff. And just like that, the deal was dead.

The Aftermath: Red Bull’s New Chapter

With the Mercedes saga behind us, the mood in the garage shifted. Max’s commitment was a boost, but we knew the road ahead was tough. He’s third in the championship, trailing McLaren’s duo with only 10 races left. The car needs upgrades, and fast, if we’re to give Max a shot at a fifth title.

Laurent Mekies is settling in, but the team’s still finding its rhythm post-Horner. Then there’s the question of Max’s 2026 teammate—Yuki Tsunoda’s struggles haven’t inspired confidence, and the driver market is wide open.

As I tightened the bolts on Max’s car before the Hungarian race, I couldn’t help but marvel at how close we’d come to losing him. The sim-racing clause was a head-scratcher, but it showed Max’s resolve to stay true to himself.

For now, he’s all in with Red Bull, and we’re ready to fight for him. But in F1, nothing’s ever certain. As Toto Wolff licks his wounds, you can bet he’s already plotting his next move.