Max Verstappen changed the opinion of Red Bull GmbH co-owner Mark Mateschitz at the Emilia Romagna GP, amid Toto Wolff still dreaming that he agrees to join Mercedes.
The Silver Arrows chief still holds out hope for signing Verstappen to replace Lewis Hamilton next year. Mercedes are yet to sign a driver to claim the 39-year-old’s seat as Wolff remains desperate to land the Red Bull racer. Hamilton will leave after 2024 having signed for Ferrari.
Mercedes could now even turn to a one-year stop-gap solution to tempt Verstappen to quit Red Bull for 2026. Formula 1 will adopt new engine and chassis regulations in 2026 that can reset the grid. Red Bull have been F1’s top team since this ground effect era started in 2022.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff will keep waiting to sign Max Verstappen from Red Bull
With the drama behind the scenes at Red Bull also easing, Wolff has now almost given up on Verstappen joining Mercedes in 2025. That is according to De Telegraaf, which reports that it is more likely that the Silver Arrows try their luck again when deciding their line-up for 2026.
Wolff accepts Mercedes can only convince Verstappen to break out of a contract at Red Bull through 2028 if the Silver Arrows improve their on-track performances. The Brackley natives are the fourth-best team on the grid with McLaren and Ferrari the closest rivals for Red Bull.
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But Wolff will wait a few more months still to try and tempt Verstappen to join in 2025. The Mercedes team principal fears it is now or never to sign the 26-year-old as he may not mull a move again. Verstappen also has a new ally in his corner after changing Mateschitz’s mind.
Max Verstappen convinced Mark Mateschitz of what he offers at the Emilia Romagna GP
Mateschitz, the son of the late Dietrich Mateschitz, rarely attends Formula 1 races in person but did so to see Verstappen win the Emilia Romagna GP. He visited Imola last Sunday and it showed the 49% owner of Red Bull GmbH what his father saw in F1’s three-time champion.
The power struggle at Red Bull this year has made Mateschitz even less inclined to go to F1 races. But the Austrian went to Imola and loved how Verstappen dealt with a late challenge from Lando Norris. The McLaren driver closed the gap at the front to just 0.725s at the end.
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Norris kept his hard compound Pirelli tyres in better shape to launch a late assault. But the attack came potentially one lap too late to make a move on Verstappen. The Red Bull racer had also fended off the challenge of McLaren duo Norris and Oscar Piastri for pole position.
Verstappen was not happy with the set-up of his RB20 throughout practice yet set the best times in Q1, Q2 and Q3. His margin in Q3 over Piastri was only 0.074s with Norris a further 0.017s behind. Yet Piastri started in P5 following his three-place grid penalty for impeding.
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