F1 silly season has peaked like never before this year. Since Lewis Hamilton joined hands with Ferrari to dump Mercedes, F1 has witnessed a huge turmoil. While the timing of Hamilton’s transfer and the political crisis exploding in Red Bull could be coincidental, it has led to major speculation involving Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen, who went from the youngest driver to debut in F1 with Red Bull to three-time World Champion, is unlikely to see his way through the contract till 2028, courtesy of Red Bull’s internal power struggle. Amid growing frustration, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is plotting to execute a heist to find an apt replacement for Lewis Hamilton.
Toto Wolff Says Christian Horner’s Stay At Red Bull Good For Mercedes
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was left in a lurch when Lewis Hamilton shook hands with Ferrari right under his nose this off-season. Wolff had only 24 hours to process the sudden move before the daunting task of finding a replacement awaited him at Brackley. However, fortunately for the Austrian team principal, a golden opportunity in Max Verstappen has opened up for the Silver Arrows. Courtesy of Red Bull’s internal political power struggle, the three-time World champion Dutch driver Max Verstappen is feeling distant. Verstappen, a Helmut Marko loyalist, threatened to quit the team in case the senior advisor was suspended or laid off. While the fire is doused for now, Christian Horner’s continued stay at Red Bull could change things drastically.
Toto Wolff, while speaking to Oe24, said that if Christian Horner continues to lead the charge as CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing, exciting scenarios with respect to Max Verstappen‘s future could develop. Wolff says he does not know what exactly is brewing inside Milton Keynes. But Horner’s stay holds the key to Max Verstappen’s potential move to Mercedes in 2025. Notably, Max is signed through 2028 with the drink-based outfit. However, the growing conflict with Horner has caused unnecessary stress to Verstappen. Max is someone who does not enjoy outside pressure and noise at all. The 25-year-old is impulsive and wouldn’t think twice before dropping out of Red Bull if power struggles explode in the near future. Overall, Christian Horner’s stay at Red Bull as team principal has given a beacon of hope to Toto Wolff, who eyes Max’s move to Mercedes in 2025.
Helmut Marko Rejects Toto Wolff’s Offer After Truce With Red Bull
After Helmut Marko expressed concerns about his future within Red Bull due to alleged power struggle, Max Verstappen also indirectly threatened to leave if Marko were to be suspended. Naturally, the drink based outfit agreed on truce with Marko to secure Verstappen’s services till 2028.
Meanwhile, after Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen’s saga exploded, Toto Wolff said he would love to have a senior ambassador like Marko in Mercedes alongside a formidable driver like Verstappen. However, Marko rejected the offer, saying, “At the moment, we (Helmut and Verstappen) are not going to go to Mercedes together.”
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