2 days Ago By [email protected] (Daniel Moxon)
Max Verstappen has given his strongest hint yet that he will stay with Red Bull despite ongoing interest from Mercedes . Toto Wolff has been trying for months to convince the Dutchman to defect to his team. The Mercedes chief needs someone to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton and internal problems at Red Bull emboldened the Austrian to publicly woo the defending champion.
Recently, Mercedes-Benz chief executive Ola Kallenius got in on the act by suggesting Verstappen would "look good in silver". But despite their best efforts, at no point has it ever looked likely that the 26-year-old would consider switching for 2025. And yet, the subject continues to persist.
Verstappen was again asked about it ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix and was given the opportunity to "close the matter by saying he will stay with Red Bull 100 percent". Interestingly, he did not do that, but he did reply: "Naturally of course people are talking, but it's most important just that we have a very competitive car for the future. At the moment, of course, it's very tight, but we are working very well as a team to try to improve more.
"For sure, I said this already with the team, we are working and focusing also on next year to try and be competitive again." And he repeated that final sentence as he used it to suggest that he is not at all thinking about the prospect of racing elsewhere after a follow-up question came his way. Asked if he would consider leaving if Red Bull do not have the qui.
