Max Verstappen made it clear that he will not leave Red Bull under any circumstances.
Toto Wolff and the possibility of Max Verstappen going to Ferrari created an opportunity at Mercedes, and Verstappen was considered one of the top candidates. There were rumors that the Dutchman could join the German manufacturer next season. However, the 26-year-old driver firmly stated that he has no intention of leaving Red Bull for any other team. In response to these comments, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff spoke out.
Toto Wolff did not rule out the possibility of Max Verstappen joining Mercedes in the past. However, Verstappen later stated that not even an offer of $250 million would tempt him to leave Red Bull. As a result, the Dutchman continued to excel with his current team. During a recent press conference, Wolff was asked about the situation.
Although the head of the Austrian team did not categorically deny the possibility of Verstappen joining Mercedes, he noted that during the interview, Verstappen did not definitively say ‘yes’ when asked about staying at Red Bull. This left room for interpretation, which sparked Mercedes’ interest for the 2025 season.
Mercedes had a difficult start to the 2024 season, facing difficulties with their ground effect car issues and failing to achieve impressive results. However, the German manufacturer implemented several improvements that significantly improved the team’s performance. Wolff acknowledged that, for Max Verstappen to join Mercedes, they would need to present a strong challenge.
The current success of Verstappen at Red Bull is largely due to the team’s chassis dominance in the 2024 season. Therefore, Wolff believes that the “vacant seat” at Mercedes will remain vacant for as long as possible to allow for the potential arrival of the Dutch driver. Additionally, Wolff added that a faster competitor from the team would attract talented drivers to join their ranks.
The remainder of the 2024 season will be focused on implementing further upgrades throughout the season to enhance performance. Mercedes has shown great improvement since the start of the season and is poised for even more success. Consequently, the identity of the second Mercedes driver for the 2025 season promises to be an exciting prospect.
