Max Verstappen has been plying his trade with Red Bull in Formula 1 since the 2016 season. The team principal of Red Bull F1, who is responsible for managing the team, has caused a lot of uncertainty within the Austrian team. Every day, there are rumors circulating and amidst all this, a former F1 driver has made a bold statement.
Max Verstappen, the star driver of Red Bull, has recently been linked with a move to the Mercedes F1 team. There has been a lot of talk about this in the F1 paddock and Gerhard Berger, with his recent comments, has essentially confirmed Verstappen’s interest in joining the team led by Lewis Hamilton.
In a recent interview with F1Insiders, Berger stated the following: “As things stand now: Horner is staying, Helmut Marko and Adrian Newey are leaving and Max is going to Mercedes.” Berger’s concise words make three things clear. First, key figures in Red Bull, such as Marko and Newey, are looking to leave the team. Second, Verstappen is currently considering the option of joining Mercedes. And third, Christian Horner will remain as Red Bull’s boss. Additionally, it’s important to note that a seat at Mercedes for the 2025 season is available as n will be leaving the team at the end of this year.
While Gerhard Berger has acknowledged that Max Verstappen’s interest in joining Mercedes stems from the drama surrounding Red Bull and Christian Horner, Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, recently had a meeting with Toto Wolff in the Bahrain GP F1 paddock.
The 2024 Formula 1 season has just begun, and it’s the off-track controversies that are garnering more attention than the on-track action. Christian Horner has unintentionally shaken up the sport with several of his allies seeking an exit from Red Bull.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend is approaching and given the recent developments, Horner, Verstappen, Newey, and Helmut are bound to face a barrage of questions during the event. The upcoming weekends could potentially bring unexpected drama within the F1 paddock.