Mercedes will have a big hole to fill after Lewis Hamilton leaves in 2025. Given that Hamilton has not only been a successful driver for the team but has also added commercial value, finding his replacement will be an uphill battle for Toto Wolff. However, as team principal, Wolff is willing to go above and beyond to secure the best driving combination. According to rumors, Wolff is willing to talk about Max Verstappen joining Mercedes in 2025. The Dutchman might be the best candidate for the Mercedes vacant seat since he has won three world titles thus far. Red Bull, however, has good reason to believe that Max Verstappen would never betray them, unlike Lewis Hamilton.
When OE24 asked Helmut Marko if he was worried that Verstappen might become weak with the corresponding offer, Marko gave a tightening response. According to the 80-year-old, the Dutchman has a “good memory” that wouldn’t let him betray Red Bull.
He said, “No, he has a good memory. And too much has happened in the past. I just remember Silverstone or the turmoil at the finale in Abu Dhabi. This runs deep.”
In making his remarks, Marko intended to convey that Verstappen would never forget incidents like the 2021 Silverstone crash, where he was Hamilton crashed him out. In addition, the Dutchman would also avoid joining Mercedes due to the turmoil and prejudice he experienced on social media after the 2021 Abu Dhabi Finale.
Besides this, the Austrian also feels that the three-time champion has a lot of commitment to Red Bull. Signing a long-term deal till 2028 shows his confidence in the Milton Keynes team’s future success capacity. So unless Red Bull drops the ball on their performance, Verstappen won’t think of switching to Mercedes or anywhere else.
Max Verstappen gives mixed signals regarding rumors of joining Mercedes
Max Verstappen’s tenure at Red Bull has yielded significant success. With the squad, he has already won 54 Grands Prix and broken several records, which include the most wins in a row and the most points in a season. During his chat with De Telegraph last year, Verstappen commented on whether he could work in a more corporate setting like Mercedes after working at Red Bull.
The 26-year-old said that indeed the environment at Mercedes is a very different one, but for him, it’s always important to be himself. He elaborated, “It doesn’t matter to me where that is. If a team really wants me in such a situation, they will also go for you and I think you can also slightly adjust certain things.”
Max Verstappen’s adaptability and willingness to evolve with time have certainly marked the beginning of a new era. Since 2021 he has won three championships. Many expect that until the 2026 regulation changes come, he’ll keep on dominating the track. Moreover, many tout the trajectory of his dominance is also better than the one of Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.
