Max Verstappen won 19 of the last 20 races and secured his second victory in the Formula 1 season in Saudi Arabia, dominating the race from start to finish and maintaining his pole position.
Despite Red Bull’s significant advantage over their competitors, there were speculations about Verstappen’s future due to allegations made by a team member against team boss Christian Horner. Although Horner was cleared of these accusations, his relationship with Verstappen’s father, Jos, was strained. Jos expressed concerns that the team would be dismantled if Horner remained in charge.
When asked about the possibility of hiring Verstappen, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff expressed his interest, stating: “I would be delighted to have him. However, our priority now is to improve our car for our current drivers, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, before we start thinking about the future.”
Wolff also acknowledged that the decision lies with Verstappen, but he believes that any team on the grid would seize the opportunity to have him as their driver.
Verstappen is currently under contract with Red Bull until 2028, and Horner is confident that he will fulfill his obligations. As for Mercedes, Wolff emphasized that they are in no rush to finalize their driver lineup for 2025. They have several promising options, and the decision will be based on how the season unfolds.
On the track, Russell finished sixth and Hamilton ninth in the recent race. Hamilton expressed frustration with the performance of his car, especially in high-speed sections, and emphasized the need for significant changes to be made.
The seven-time Formula 1 champion stressed that being in a similar position for three consecutive years is discouraging and that improvements must be made. (Written by Alan Baldwin)
