“The best driver wants the best car and it's our job to put together the best package. The cards will be reshuffled in 2026. It's a possibility, so who knows? I think Max would look good in silver, don't you?“. Words that Ola Kallenius, n°1 of Daimler AG, co-owner of Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, he had pronounced on the occasion of the Austrian GP.
When such a big shot speaks by mentioning certain names it is not possible to assume that it was a simple coincidence. Mercedes wants Verstappen and for this reason it postpones from week to week the announcement of the driver who will partner George Russell in 2025.
But now it seems that there is little space to obtain the services of the three-time world champion and for this reason, at least for next year, Wolff and his companions have put their souls at rest by focusing on home-grown talent: Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Verstappen swears love to Red Bull, Mercedes stays on the sidelines
“Leave Red Bull if it no longer has the best car? I don't think Formula 1 works like that. You can't say suddenly < >. I have a long contract with the team and I am very happy with the position I am in. As I said before, we are already focusing on next year and the things we can implement on the car. So I think that should say enough about where I'll be driving next year”, explained the three-time star in the pre-Spielberg conference.
Chapter closed? At the moment. Does this also apply to 2026? Max stayed away from extending the time span of his loyalty. 2026 is full of unknowns for Red Bull. The new technical regulation (a variable that affects everyone) and above all a new engine whose success remains to be demonstrated, do not provide certainties.
The presence of a release clause – confirmed several times by Helmut Marko – is a loophole that continues to fuel Mercedes' dreams and hopes. You may say, aren't they focusing on Antonelli? Of course, but we must not forget that George Russell has a contract that expires at the end of 2025 and that for now the renewal process is firmly locked in a drawer at the Brackley headquarters.
2025 will be a year of transition and above all of reflections. It is in twelve months that certain destinies could be fulfilled. Verstappen has sworn loyalty to the team but the expiration date could be closer than the 2028 recorded in the contracts. Mercedes still hopes.
Photo credits: Oracle Red Bull Racing, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team