With the recent news of Lewis Hamilton’s impending departure from Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025, the Formula 1 world has been buzzing with speculation about who will fill his spot at the dominant team. Max Verstappen, who seemed content to see out his contract with Red Bull until 2028, has now thrown his future into question amidst rumors of internal turmoil at his current team.
Verstappen’s father, Jos, has been vocal about the potential for Red Bull to be “torn apart” if team principal Christian Horner remains in his position. Additionally, there have been rumors circulating about Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko leaking information to the press, further complicating the situation. It has been revealed that Verstappen inserted a “Marko clause” into his contract, allowing him to leave early should the 80-year-old advisor depart.
Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes’ motorsport division, has expressed interest in forming a relationship with Verstappen at some point in the future. He acknowledged that a decision on filling the vacant spot alongside George Russell would depend on what Verstappen decides to do. The possibility of Verstappen joining Mercedes had been considered back in 2014 when he was racing in European Formula 3, but the team was unable to offer him a seat at that time.
Wolff recounted a meeting with Verstappen and his father in Vienna, where he offered the Dutch driver a fully funded seat in Formula 2 with the promise of a Formula 1 seat the following year. However, Red Bull had already made an offer to Verstappen to join Toro Rosso, ultimately leading him to choose that path instead. Despite missing out on signing Verstappen in the past, Wolff hinted at the possibility of their relationship coming full circle in the future.
Wolff made it clear that Verstappen is currently the “number one pick” to replace Hamilton at Mercedes, although he did not rule out other candidates such as Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, and FIA F2 racer Andrea Kimi Antontelli. The decision on who will fill Hamilton’s seat is expected to be made in the summer, with Verstappen’s actions playing a significant role in the outcome.
The future of Max Verstappen in Formula 1 remains uncertain as speculation continues to swirl around his potential move to Mercedes. With the looming power unit regulation changes and the internal turmoil at Red Bull, Verstappen’s decision could have far-reaching implications for the sport. Only time will tell if he will indeed replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes and continue his quest for a world championship.
Leave a Reply