According to F1 presenter Tom Clarkson, Toto Wolff is doing everything he can to get Max Verstappen to switch from Red Bull to Mercedes. He is said to have told Verstappen that he can take Helmut Marko with him if he wishes.
The driver market for the 2025 F1 season is in full swing, but some key driver seats have already been filled. For example, Fernando Alonso was recently confirmed at Aston Martin for the 2025 and 2026 F1 seasons. If Max Verstappen does indeed want to leave Red Bull, which rumors have been circulating for some time, only Mercedes seems to be a viable option for the three-time F1 champion.
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has made it no secret in recent days that he would love to have Max Verstappen in his team. Know that the ties between the Verstappen camp and Mercedes during the start of Max Verstappen’s F1 career almost led to Verstappen racing for Mercedes.
After the announced departure of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari at the end of this season, and the unrest that has been going on at Red Bull for some time now, Toto Wolff wants to go all out to get Max Verstappen to sign a contract with Mercedes. Toto Wolff is even said to have allowed Max Verstappen to take Helmut Marko. Verstappen seems to tie his fate at Red Bull to that of Helmut Marko anyway.
“In Japan I have heard from several people that Toto Wolff is seriously pursuing Max,” said Tom Clarkson during the ‘F1 Nation podcast’. “Toto Wolff needs Verstappen’s signature because the team has not been doing very well in recent years. It would be a real statement of intent if he brought in Max Verstappen, wouldn’t it?”
“I was also told that Toto told Max: take Helmut Marko with you if that is what it takes to come to us. There would then immediately be some kind of Austrian super team at the top of Mercedes. But will that happen and will he sacrifice a 2025 world championship with Red Bull? I find that very hard to believe.”
“I now see a bit of a static situation on the driver market. I see Max and Sergio Perez staying at Red Bull and Fernando now also staying at Aston Martin. The only big question mark is what happens next to George Russell at Mercedes. Will it be Carlos Sainz or Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will test for Mercedes in Austria in a few weeks?”