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New York Times
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
Why Max Verstappen's F1 future and links to Mercedes are back in focus once again
SPIELBERG, Austria — It was at the Austrian Grand Prix last year where Max Verstappen was asked a direct 'yes or no' question: would he be racing for Red Bull in 2025? 'You didn't get that out of my answer before?' Verstappen replied. He had alluded to his future being with Red Bull, but hadn't directly said it. 'I just want you to say it,' replied the journalist. Advertisement 'OK, yes,' Verstappen said. There had been months of speculation about Verstappen's future with Red Bull, set against the team's turbulent start to the year amid the investigation into team principal Christian Horner following allegations of misconduct. The grievance against Horner was dismissed after an internal investigation, and a second investigation on appeal, while Verstappen went on to win his fourth world title in November 2024. Twelve months later, at the Red Bull Ring, Verstappen's future with Red Bull has come back into the spotlight, once again at the team's home race in Austria. Despite still being under contract with the team through to 2028, murmurs of a possible switch to Mercedes are refusing to go away. A shock switch remains a possibility because Mercedes is yet to renew George Russell's contract beyond this year and Kimi Antonelli is thought to have a contract that only covers 2025. Russell has stepped up as team leader in the wake of Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari, scoring five podiums, including the race win last time out in Canada. He's performing better than ever, yet still doesn't have certainty that he will be racing for Mercedes next year. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said at the season's first race in Australia that he envisaged talks with Russell about a new contract would be picked up once F1 2025 hit its traditional European summer swing. Wolff also said he would not 'flirt outside if I'm in a good relationship', referring to Verstappen — stressing his faith in Russell and his new 18-year-old teammate, Antonelli, to lead Mercedes' future. Now those European summer races have arrived, Russell has faced regular questions about the status of his contract talks. During media interviews in Austria on Thursday, Russell said there were 'zero reasons to be worried, but it does help if there was pen on paper.' Advertisement But in an interview with Sky Sports recorded on Thursday, Russell said it was 'only normal that conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing.' A direct pointer to what — or who — could be delaying the putting of pen to paper. Russell has regularly commented that he feels relaxed about his future with Mercedes due to his current level of performance, and made clear his total certainty he'll be on the F1 grid next year. But he has always understood that in the event Verstappen became available, Mercedes could hold an interest. 'Why wouldn't he be on the radar?' Russell said in Canada. 'He's one of the GOATs, and I get that. It's down to you to prove your worth.' Off the back of Russell's comment in the Sky Sports interview, it was inevitable Wolff would face more questions about his apparent interest in Verstappen. Loose talks did take place last year between Mercedes and the Verstappen camp, as Wolff considered who would replace Hamilton, but both parties agreed it was not the right time for a move. Wolff is friendly with Verstappen's father, Jos, and has always been clear in his admiration for the young Dutchman. Even after the recent clash with Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix that resulted in a penalty and put Verstappen on the brink of a race ban, Wolff was reluctant to say the move could have been deliberate — Russell said it 'felt deliberate' — saying only it was 'too obvious.' Appearing in the FIA news conference on Friday at the Red Bull Ring, Wolff said there was nothing more Russell had to do to get a contract for 2026, but he insisted he preferred talks to take place behind closed doors instead of playing out in the media. 'In early summer, those kinds of contract discussions start being accelerated in the media because of a lack of information,' Wolff said. 'What I have been doing the last 30 years in normal business, (is that) contract discussions are not held as town halls. So, everything is normal, everything goes to plan.' Advertisement When Russell's 'ongoing' comment about Verstappen was put to Wolff, and he was asked if he thought Russell was talking to other teams as well, the Austrian said: 'We are going into territory that I don't want to discuss out here. 'But people talk. People explore. And most important is that in our organisation, we are transparent. But it doesn't change a millimeter (of) my opinion of George, his abilities, or anything else.' That exploration is what Russell was referring to. He totally understands, as frustrating as it is to be left waiting, why Mercedes would need to pause and consider the mere possibility of signing Verstappen. He's just that good. Wolff wouldn't directly confirm that such talks were indeed taking place, only saying that 'clearly you need to explore what's happening in the future,' in regards to Verstappen. He again professed his faith in Mercedes' existing line-up and mentioned the transparency with which it operates — a hark back to his comment in Australia about flirting. Nothing had changed since then, Wolff claimed. 'There is no flirt in that sense,' he said. But he then added: 'You can flirt, or you (can) have conversations.' A subtle yet important difference. So why would such 'conversations' be of interest to Verstappen? Much of it comes down to Red Bull's struggles for performance this year compared to the pace-setting McLaren team. This has already left Verstappen's hopes of a fifth consecutive crown looking extremely fragile. Verstappen sits 43 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri in the drivers' championship after winning just two of the first 10 races, and has talked down his title hopes, given the pace of his RB21 car. Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport advisor, said in April that 'the concern was great' that Verstappen could leave the team if it did not provide car upgrades to improve its performance through the season. Although his contract does run through to 2028, escape clauses could leave the door open for an early exit if that is what Verstappen desires. Advertisement An updated floor for the Red Bull car has arrived for this weekend's race, as the team bids to take a step toward McLaren's level of performance. The 2026 season will mark the start of a new technical era for F1, as both the car designs and the engine regulations get overhauled. Being with the right team for this change could lock in a period of domination similar to Mercedes from 2014 to 2020, or Red Bull in 2022-23. Verstappen said on Thursday that 2026 was 'not really on my mind' when he was again specifically asked if he would be racing for Red Bull next year, saying his focus was on 'just driving well, trying to push the performance, and then we focus on next year.' It's the same reasoning Russell has given in recent weeks about why he's so relaxed about his future. He's performing and leading Mercedes' efforts in the post-Hamilton era. The results point to him leading the team even through Hamilton's final year, but there's not much more he can do to make his case right now. Is there any realm where Mercedes could accommodate both Russell and Verstappen? Such a prospect seems unfathomable given the nature of their rivalry at times, which got even fiercer by their exchange in Qatar last year, where Russell claimed Verstappen threatened to put him 'on your f***ing head in the wall,' and said that people had been 'bullied by Max for years now.' Wolff smirked when the idea was put to him. 'I can imagine every line-up!' he said. 'I had (Nico) Rosberg and Hamilton fighting for a world championship, so everything else afterwards is easy.' Antonelli's start to life in F1 has already justified the faith Wolff placed in the 18-year-old, plus the significant investment to get him ready for life in F1. But the same is true with Russell. Mercedes has been with him through the entire journey, right from Formula Three (when it was called GP3 in 2017) to now leading its F1 team. So, again, why wait? Advertisement Timing is another thing to consider here. When Mercedes has previously waited to decide on renewing a driver's contract, announcements have typically not been made until after the August summer break. That was the case when Mercedes announced Russell as Valtteri Bottas' replacement for 2022, and when Hamilton's final contract was confirmed in 2023. Wolff made a mention of 'constant pressure' in F1, 'whether you're inside the car, outside the car, you just need to cope with that. And George knows that, like any other driver knows it. When you're being put in a comfort zone, sometimes that is more detrimental for performance than having a certain pressure point in the system.' By keeping the pressure on and opting against a swift renewal, Wolff will hope this continues to bring the very best out of Russell at Mercedes. But the longer it goes on, the longer this story will keep sustaining 'silly season' — and keep the flicker alive of a shock move that could truly ignite F1's driver market.
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff refuses to rule out poaching Max Verstappen as a partner for fierce rival George Russell
Toto Wolff is trying to piece together the potentially explosive partnership of Max Verstappen and George Russell driving for Mercedes. If he pulled it off, Wolff would probably see it as a two-finger salute to his own paddock nemesis Christian Horner, boss of Verstappen's Red Bull team. And on Friday in Austria ahead of this weekend's race, Wolff publicly left open the possibility of a Verstappen-Russell pairing despite their collision in Spain earlier in the month, saying: 'I can imagine every line-up. I had Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton fighting for a world championship, so everything afterwards is easy.' Wolff could have ruled out poaching Verstappen but deliberately chose not to do so. He is keeping several plates spinning, one of which concerns Russell signing a contract extension at Mercedes beyond this year. If the Briton finally re-signs, and that seems likely despite a process curiously protracted, it would leave Wolff needing to relocate his protégé driver, 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli, to make space for Verstappen – for I am told it would be Antonelli, not Russell, who would go. True, Antonelli has impressed in his debut season and claimed his first podium in Canada a fortnight ago, but he has been dwarfed by Russell's achievements as the driver of the season – consistent, fast and pushing himself to the edge of the title frame, 62 points behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri. As for Mercedes' interest in Verstappen, it clearly continues. Russell said as much this week – 'ongoing' was his understanding of a courtship that started after last year's Red Bull scandal involving Horner, who was cleared by two internal inquiries of coercive behaviour towards a female employee. Verstappen's father Jos is particularly keen on the quadruple world champion leaving his existing team. Max is in less of a rush and may stick at Red Bull for another season to assess how next year's new regulations alter the pecking order. Wolff is stalling on Russell's new deal for reasons that are not obvious, though perhaps to keep him keen. But might the delay not undermine his star driver's confidence? 'Our sport is pressure, constant pressure,' countered Wolff. As Wolff knows, this race in Austria is a particularly sensitive one for his nemesis Horner. Red Bull's top brass are in the paddock, and wafting up uncertainty over the future of their star driver, and thus destabilising Horner, is another ingredient in the mix.
CNA
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Verstappen would welcome Vettel having a role at Red Bull
SPIELBERG, Austria :Max Verstappen said he would welcome fellow four-times Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel back to Red Bull after the German spoke of possibly succeeding consultant Helmut Marko at the team. Austrian Marko, 82 and a former racer who was blinded in one eye after a stone pierced his visor during the 1972 French Grand Prix in Clermont-Ferrand, has a contract until the end of next year. Vettel, 37, won consecutive titles with Red Bull from 2010-13 and retired in 2022 after stints at Ferrari and Aston Martin. "It's more than normal that someone that has achieved so much with Red Bull, has been brought up by Red Bull (should return)," Verstappen told reporters at the Austrian Grand Prix on Thursday when asked for his thoughts. "In a sense there's always a spot available, right? "I think also Seb always kept a really good relationship with Helmut anyway, even when he left. I didn't know that of course they were talking but I'm sure that there's always a space for Seb in any kind of form." Marko was a close confidant of the team's late Austrian owner Dietrich Mateschitz, serving as his trusted representative in the paddock as well as also taking charge of the young driver programme. During Vettel's era the outspoken advisor was part of a leading trio with principal Christian Horner and technical ace Adrian Newey, who is now at Aston Martin. "We're in contact about this, though maybe not so intensively or in-depth yet, but it's possible," Vettel told Austria's ORF television recently. "He's already said a few times that he'd stop, but he's still here, and I wish him all the best so that he stays around for a very long time." Marko told Austria's Kleine Zeitung on Wednesday that Vettel was following everything very closely.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Verstappen would welcome Vettel having a role at Red Bull
SPIELBERG, Austria, June 26 (Reuters) - Max Verstappen said he would welcome fellow four-times Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel back to Red Bull after the German spoke of possibly succeeding consultant Helmut Marko at the team. Austrian Marko, 82 and a former racer who was blinded in one eye after a stone pierced his visor during the 1972 French Grand Prix in Clermont-Ferrand, has a contract until the end of next year. Vettel, 37, won consecutive titles with Red Bull from 2010-13 and retired in 2022 after stints at Ferrari and Aston Martin. "It's more than normal that someone that has achieved so much with Red Bull, has been brought up by Red Bull (should return)," Verstappen told reporters at the Austrian Grand Prix on Thursday when asked for his thoughts. "In a sense there's always a spot available, right? "I think also Seb always kept a really good relationship with Helmut anyway, even when he left. I didn't know that of course they were talking but I'm sure that there's always a space for Seb in any kind of form." Marko was a close confidant of the team's late Austrian owner Dietrich Mateschitz, serving as his trusted representative in the paddock as well as also taking charge of the young driver programme. During Vettel's era the outspoken advisor was part of a leading trio with principal Christian Horner and technical ace Adrian Newey, who is now at Aston Martin. "We're in contact about this, though maybe not so intensively or in-depth yet, but it's possible," Vettel told Austria's ORF television recently. "He's already said a few times that he'd stop, but he's still here, and I wish him all the best so that he stays around for a very long time." Marko told Austria's Kleine Zeitung on Wednesday that Vettel was following everything very closely. "The question of succession is also one of the issues," he said.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Christian Horner Reflects on 20 Years in F1 as Red Bull Boss
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner revealed what has changed in Formula 1 over his 20 years in the sport amid the sport's drama and controversies. Horner started with Red Bull from the team's inception, putting together the entire staff and facilities. While he is never shy about speaking his mind, Horner is a proven winner, collecting six constructors' championships and eight drivers' championships. It takes a team effort to have as much success as Red Bull has had. Horner's ability to put together winning racing teams is on the level of other great team principals. Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on from the pit wall during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 14, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on from the pit wall during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 14, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec Photo byWhen he first broke into the sport, some of the most cutthroat people in F1 surrounded Horner and taught him what it takes to win. "When I came into the sport, sitting around the table was Bernie Ecclestone running it with Max Mosley [FIA President]," he told in an exclusive interview. "You had Ron Dennis running McLaren, Frank Williams at Williams, Jean Todt at Ferrari, and Flavio Briatore running Renault. Eddie Jordan was still around when I first started, and they were big personalities and big characters. "Yes, there were always disagreements, but there was a commonality of agreeing on what was right for the business and what was right for the sport, because they were all relatively entrepreneurial. "Whereas nowadays, you look around the room and, save for a few, it's largely a bunch of managers, as opposed to perhaps that entrepreneurial spirit that existed previously. "There were always rivalries; I mean, Jean and Ron never particularly saw eye-to-eye, but there was always respect that, sometimes, I think is a little lacking these days." Horner is known for getting into it with other team principals on the grid, whether it is McLaren boss Zak Brown or Mercedes' Toto Wolff - he never backs down from a fight that helps his team. These conflicts have grown intense over the years, with mudslinging from all parties. The fights grew most intense during 2021, when Horner and Wolff went at it every week. Things haven't cooled down in intensity since then. While Horner highlighted the lack of respect from others, he believed that history remembers winners, not those who receive the most respect. More F1 news: How Lewis Hamilton Made the F1 Movie Production More Expensive For more F1 news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
