Mercedes has long been associated with a movement for Max Verstappen, and the silver arrows want to succeed where they have previously failed to compete for the Red Bull star
Rumors are going to swallow that Mercedes makes efforts to sign Max Verstappen from Red Bull, the end of this year. And it is not Toto Wolff’s first attempt after the team of the Silver Arrows team was previously thwarted in an early attempt to bring the Dutch sensation to his stable.
Before Verstappen had even debuted in Formula 1, Red Bull broke their junior with a proposition that left Mercedes in the dust and guaranteed him a ride in his smoking year. Mercedes was unable to match the proposition at that time and missed a generation talent in the process.
The future of Mercedes’ Duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are currently in balance. The contracts of both drivers must end in December, although it would be expected that 18-year-old Antonelli would remain standing in view of the potential he has shown.
Russell, 27, said this week that there is an “exceptionally low” chance that he will not be with Brackley in 2026 and will not negotiate with rival camps, despite the words of Martin Brundle. Yet this avid loyalty may seem over optimistic in view of the caliber of the competitor who is said to be disturbed to take his place.
Prior to promising Trouw to Red Bull, a 16-year-old Ververtures of Mercedes and valued racing minutes were entertained above all. That was something that Red Bull was willing to deliver by giving him a chair with Sister Team Toro Rosso (now renamed Racing Bulls).
Mercedes was left out of the loop because they could not promise him a chair from 2015, instead the prospect of a spot on Williams or the now destroyed Force India in 2016. The agent of Verstappen, Raymond Vermeulen, supported their decision as “the right choice” in 2020, in 2020, in 2020, is indeed part of the discussion.
Red Bull’s Chief Development Chief, Helmut Marko, refuted the idea that Mercedes’ offer encouraged his deal to resort their deal. In the summer of 2014 the Austrian stated: “I never asked what Mercedes offered. We did our negotiations, built up our relationship and he decided to go with us.”
On Thursday, Verstappen was questioned in Silverstone about whether he could imagine that he would ride for another team and answered: “I am going to say no, because if I say yes, people will come up with the headlines again, and that is not what I want.
“I have always told the team that it would be ideal, and I think they think in the same way, to complete my career in Formula 1 with one team. I think that would be something great, and that’s what we still try to achieve.”
Lewis Hamilton spoke in favor of the potential transfer and says that he would “endure” the move to his old team. However, Verstappen will have the ultimate control over a decision that has been in the making for years.
Securing the services of Verstappen is far from simple, especially because he is left for his Red Bull contract for another three years. This provision means that Mercedes would have to compensate for their rivals financially if they want to acquire the highly sought after director.
Speaking with Kleine Zeitung prior to the British Grand Prix, Marko made his position clear: “He has not signed and cannot do it at all. It is just annoying now. The same questions continue to arise, we continue to give the same answers, because nothing has changed in the first situation.”
Currently third in the ranking and with 60 points behind McLaren Front-Runner Oscar Piastri, Verstappen is released to give up his world champion status. His perilous situation is not helped by Yuki Tsunoda, who enters the lagging Liam Lawson as his teammate, while Red Bull lags in the rankings of the constructors, where they are currently in fourth place.
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