Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is determined to sign Max Verstappen. He’s losing Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari, and he wants the second-most successful driver on the grid in his stead.
Before the Miami Grand Prix, it emerged that Wolff was ready to put a ‘world-record’ contract on the table for Verstappen. That’s in line with previous reports that he’d earn even more than Hamilton at Brackley.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has publicly warned Wolff to stop courting Verstappen and focus on his own team instead. But the Austrian doesn’t seem to have taken heed.
If anything, he may have smelled an opportunity after Red Bull announced the departure of chief designer Adrian Newey last week. Jos Verstappen subsequently declared that the world champions were at risk of ‘falling apart’.
Newey has shaped all three of Verstappen’s title-winning cars. And despite his defeat to Lando Norris in the Miami, the RB20 very much looks like it will be the fourth.
Wolff could even pursue the 65-year-old legend in the hope of tempting Verstappen to follow. They were seen holding talks in the Miami paddock after Sunday’s race.
Toto Wolff and Max Verstappen reschedule Miami meeting
According to The Mirror, there’s no sign of Wolff letting up in his dogged pursuit of Verstappen. He was initially due to hold a meeting with the driver’s camp before the race in Florida.
In the end, both sides turned out to be too busy and the talks had to be rescheduled. They apparently took place on Monday instead.
In the course of that meeting, they ‘discussed the feasibility’ of a move to Mercedes. Verstappen is under contract until 2028, so an exit may not be straightforward.
If he were to join in 2025, he may also be foregoing what could be a shot at a fifth world title (assuming he wins this year’s championship). Mercedes are a distant fourth in the constructors’ as it stands.
Max Verstappen makes Red Bull pact with Helmut Marko
Wolff will be aware that Verstappen does have at least one route out of his Red Bull deal. If Helmut Marko leaves, he’s free to go.
And significantly, Marko has ‘promised’ Verstappen that he will grant his wishes. Should the superstar driver express a desire to race elsewhere, he will walk to facilitate the move.
Mercedes have made it clear to the 27-year-old that they’ll sign Red Bull’s executive director if that’s what it takes. It’s clear that they’ll stop at nothing to get their man.
CEO Oliver Mintzlaff insists it would be ‘impossible’ for Mercedes to get Marko. But Wolff will beg to differ.
While it’s hard to imagine Verstappen sacrificing the most desirable seat on the grid for 2025, his outlook could change for 2026. That’s because the regulations will be overhauled, potentially shaking up the pecking order.
If he tells Mercedes to wait, then they may sign a stop-gap. They’ve already offered Carlos Sainz a one-plus-one deal, and former reserve driver Esteban Ocon could also fit the bill.
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