Max Verstappen had his concerns despite winning the Spanish Grand Prix (Image: Getty)
Mercedes AMG chairman Ola Kallenius has teased that Max Verstappen ‘would look good in silver’. The reigning world champion has been a long-term target for Toto Wolff, who will hope that his team’s recent steps forward in performance could convince the Dutchman to leave Red Bull for Brackley.
Since Lewis Hamilton announced his decision to leave Mercedes at the end of the 2024 campaign, Wolff has had his eyes transfixed on Verstappen. The three-time champion’s future at Red Bull is far from secure, and he made it clear that performance matters most to him as he assesses his options for 2025 and beyond.
Previously, this looked to be a major stumbling block for Mercedes as they lagged behind the three fastest teams. However, with their new floor and front wing upgrades bolted onto the car, they have scored podiums in back-to-back races, while George Russell has led the opening lap in both Montreal and Barcelona.
Speaking to Sky Germany about Mercedes’ chances of landing Verstappen, Kallenius said: “The best drivers want to be in the best cars, and our job is to put together the best possible package. 2026? The cards will be reshuffled, and Max would look good in silver as well.”
Even though Verstappen edged out Lando Norris to win at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, the overall mood from his side of the garage was one of concern. For each of his last three race victories, it can be argued that Red Bull were not the fastest team in the field, meaning that his current rate of success is an unsustainable one.
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Toto Wolff is hell bent on bringing Verstappen to Mercedes (Image: Getty)
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Verstappen made his fears clear after the race. “I am very happy,” he told Sky Sports F1. “Getting the lead on lap two made my race. That is basically where we won. McLaren were faster today, which is a little bit concerning. That is not what you like to see.
“I want more performance as we are not the quickest at the moment… but we operated well and maximised everything we had. You cannot rely on that all the time. To win races you have to be normally the outright fastest, which has been lacking.”
Heading into the second leg of this triple header, it appears as though McLaren have the car to beat, but if Mercedes can sustain their current development trajectory, they will be challenging for victories very soon.
This promise could be all that Wolff needs to sell Verstappen on the Silver Arrows’ project.
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