The persistent rumors about Max Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes simply won’t disappear.
Mercedes are reportedly prepared to wait until October to finalise their F1 2025 driver lineup, with the team holding out in the hope of luring Max Verstappen from Red Bull.
And the Silver Arrows’ extended timescale could work in Verstappen‘s favour amid concerns that long-serving Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko remains vulnerable to a potential power grab by team principal Christian Horner.
Mercedes to wait as long as possible to land Max Verstappen from Red Bull?
Verstappen, who has a contract until the end of the F1 2028 season, and has been victorious in four out of the initial six races of F1 2024, is strongly associated with leaving Red Bull for the upcoming year due to the ongoing off-track issues surrounding the team.
Verstappen’s father, Jos, expressed concerns about his son’s future after an inquiry into Horner’s behavior was dismissed in February. Jos publicly called for the team principal’s resignation after the Bahrain Grand Prix, accusing Horner of playing the victim despite being the cause of the problems.
The news of design guru Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull early next year has shaken the team. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has openly expressed his interest in signing Verstappen as the future replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari in F1 2025.
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In March, PlanetF1.com disclosed that Verstappen’s future is closely tied to Marko’s fate. It is believed that Verstappen’s contract, which three-time World Champion possibly secretly inserted, includes a clause allowing him to leave if Marko is terminated, possibly without Horner and other senior members of Red Bull’s parent company being aware of it.
Last month, there were reports in Germany suggesting that Verstappen is facing a difficult situation in the driver market. If he decides to commit to Red Bull beyond this season, it could potentially pave the way for Horner to accelerate his plans to remove Marko from his position. This comes as the team continues to grapple with internal power struggles following the passing of founder Dietrich Mateschitz in October 2022.
Furthermore, it has been alleged that the ambiguity surrounding Verstappen’s future may persist until the final weeks of the ongoing season.
If Wolff makes an early decision regarding Mercedes, Verstappen will have no other viable option, putting Marko at a vulnerable position. This would give Horner the advantage to manipulate the situation, knowing that Red Bull’s top driver has no alternative choices.
Verstappen’s exit clause, which is reportedly linked to Marko, states that it should be activated promptly in case the 81-year-old is terminated or suspended. However, given the absence of attractive alternatives, it is highly improbable that Verstappen would hastily pursue another option if Marko were to be dismissed.
Following last week’s rumors, the most recent development reveals that Marko allegedly assured Verstappen that he would support his desires unconditionally. There were speculations that Marko could potentially facilitate Verstappen’s transition to Mercedes by resigning from Red Bull, thereby enabling Verstappen to activate his release clause.
Verstappen is reportedly not enthusiastic about the idea of joining Mercedes due to the team’s lack of achievements in the current ground effect era. However, he is aware that it might be sensible to consider joining the Silver Arrows for the upcoming rules reset in F1 2026. This is because the engine is expected to regain its significance as a crucial factor in performance differentiation.
According to reports, in case Toto Wolff fails to secure Verstappen’s signature at present, he is willing to “take a chance” by pairing 17-year-old Italian prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli with George Russell for the 2025 F1 season. This move is intended to give them an opportunity to pursue Verstappen once more for the 2026 F1 season.
In that particular scenario, it remains uncertain if Antonelli or Russell, the individuals responsible for Mercedes’ latest triumph at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix, would be asked to step aside to accommodate Verstappen.
During the Miami Grand Prix weekend, the FIA informed PlanetF1.com that they have received a special request to grant Antonelli permission to compete in Formula 1 before turning 18. Typically, drivers must reach this age to be eligible for an F1 superlicence. This development has sparked rumors that Antonelli might potentially take over Logan Sargeant’s position at Williams.
There is a suggestion that Antonelli might join Williams for the second half of the season, enabling Mercedes to assess his performance with the intention of promoting him as Hamilton’s successor for F1 2025.
Antonelli has recently started an intensive testing session to prepare him for the transition to F1. Mercedes has arranged for him to test old cars at the Red Bull Ring and Imola, which is also the venue for this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
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