Max Verstappen has been a part of the Red Bull team since his second year in Formula 1, when he was discovered by Dietrich Mateschitz and Helmut Marko. The intense rivalry between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton during the 2021 Formula 1 Championship is legendary in the world of motorsports. Their clash at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen emerged as the victor and secured his eighth World title, will go down in history. Since then, Hamilton’s performance has declined while Verstappen recently clinched his third World Championship title.
Given the fierce competition between Hamilton and Verstappen on the track, it’s not surprising to think that they have a strained relationship with each other’s teams as well. One would assume that Hamilton is not particularly fond of Red Bull, just as Verstappen would never consider joining Hamilton’s former team. However, with Hamilton’s move to Ferrari confirmed and a vacant seat at the German team, Verstappen has not completely ruled out the possibility of taking it up.
Verstappen and Red Bull have formed a successful partnership, resulting in three World Drivers’ Championships for the Dutchman and two consecutive World Constructors’ titles for the team. Despite this, Verstappen has expressed his openness to changing teams, as it doesn’t hold significant importance to him.
With Hamilton leaving one top team in Formula 1 to join another, fans have wondered if Verstappen could make a similar move. Currently at the peak of his career with the support of Red Bull, there is a chance that Mercedes might approach him to fill Hamilton’s former seat alongside George Russell. When asked about this possibility, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff did not completely dismiss the idea.
In other news, there have been rumors circulating about Red Bull’s interest in bringing back their former driver Alex Albon to replace Sergio Perez in 2025. Both drivers’ contracts are set to expire after this season. However, FIA accredited journalist Thomas Maher has stated that these rumors were spread by Albon’s team in an attempt to gain attention from Mercedes, who are considering their options for Hamilton’s old seat.