The Red Bull driver has been suggested as a potential successor to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
Max Verstappen hasn’t entirely dismissed the idea of switching to Formula 1 with Mercedes if he chooses to depart from Red Bull.
With Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari leaving a vacancy at Mercedes for 2025, Verstappen’s name has emerged as a potential candidate to fill the spot, especially considering the internal tensions at Red Bull.
While Verstappen is contracted with Red Bull until the conclusion of 2028, he hinted during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend that if Helmut Marko, the Motorsport Advisor, were to leave the team, it could cast uncertainty on his own future.
Before securing his 56th career win, Verstappen commented on the speculation about a potential move to Mercedes, while Team Principal Toto Wolff expressed confidence that Verstappen’s primary desire is to drive the fastest car available.
Verstappen shared his perspective with media outlets, including RacingNews365, stating, “Well, you know, the thing is that no one would have ever predicted or anticipated that Lewis would move to Ferrari.”
“In life, not just in F1, you never know what’s going to happen or what opportunities may come your way, regardless of what’s happening around you or what might influence you.”
“So, you can never say with absolute certainty that things will unfold a certain way [and that I won’t join Mercedes in the future].”
“I approach life with that mindset, but I don’t dwell on it too much. I’m very content and happy with the team, and even more so now that we’re seeing strong performances.”