Max Verstappen was on the verge of joining the Mercedes team ten years ago but ultimately chose to sign with Red Bull for his debut in the 2015 Formula 1 season at Toro Rosso.
The renowned Formula 1 driver, Max Verstappen, has cemented his status as one of the greatest in the sport. With three world championships under his belt, he has consistently outperformed his competitors and achieved remarkable success with Red Bull. However, tensions within the team in Milton Keynes jeopardized Verstappen’s future with the Austrian outfit. Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, now asserts that Verstappen should consider joining Mercedes at some point down the line.
There were previous rumors suggesting that Verstappen was in talks with Mercedes as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who was set to move to Ferrari. However, the reigning world champion swiftly put an end to these speculations and made it clear that he would remain loyal to Red Bull.
Wolff reminisced about Verstappen’s impressive campaign in Formula 3 ten years ago. The Austrian even had a discussion with Verstappen’s father regarding the young driver’s future. Unfortunately, Mercedes did not have an available seat in Formula 1 for Max Verstappen in 2015. As a result, Red Bull offered him a fully-funded campaign in Formula 2 for that year.
Nevertheless, Max Verstappen had already secured a seat with Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso, for the 2015 season. Consequently, the Dutch driver opted to join the Red Bull camp instead of Mercedes. Furthermore, Verstappen was promoted to the senior Red Bull team midway through the 2016 season, and the rest is history.
Toto Wolff expressed his desire to see his relationship with Verstappen come full circle. The 52-year-old believes that Verstappen should make the move to Mercedes in the future, although he did not specify a timeframe.
Verstappen’s current contract with Red Bull is set to expire at the end of 2028. However, there have been rumors of an exit clause that could potentially allow him to leave for a rival team. Despite Verstappen’s clear commitment to continuing his journey with Red Bull, Wolff emphasized that Mercedes could be an enticing option for the reigning world champion.
Wolff pointed out that Mercedes was the only top-tier team with an available seat for the upcoming season. He suggested that if Verstappen decides to part ways with Red Bull at the end of this season, Mercedes could be the only viable destination for him.
Undoubtedly, Max Verstappen would be a valuable asset for any Formula 1 team. With Verstappen and George Russell, Mercedes could boast one of the strongest driver lineups on the grid. However, as of now, the three-time world champion has shown no inclination to leave Red Bull in the foreseeable future.