2025 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[MB_Racer]

Although I love the current lineup….I’d love for a RUSSTAPPEN partnership. It’d be BANANAS.

Fully agreed… it would be bonkers like Rosberg and Sir LH

[FittingMechanics]

No official offer and therefore has not said "Yes".

This to me sounds like there is an unofficial offer and there is an unofficial, verbal agreement (Yes).

Let's be honest, nothing in F1 "smokes" this much and then fizzles out. The deal is on. It is just a question who gets the axe from Mercedes. I would love to see Max go against a established driver like Russell but I think Max will prefer Antonelli and Toto may see that as better bet for the future.

[MB_Racer]

There’s a lot of smoke now.

There's a lot of people reporting the same thing by using the same source. Sky Sports Italia is also about as reliable as a Mecachrome engine.

What an insult for Mecachrome ex engines

[kurtj]

No official offer and therefore has not said "Yes".

This to me sounds like there is an unofficial offer and there is an unofficial, verbal agreement (Yes).

Let's be honest, nothing in F1 "smokes" this much and then fizzles out. The deal is on. It is just a question who gets the axe from Mercedes. I would love to see Max go against a established driver like Russell but I think Max will prefer Antonelli and Toto may see that as better bet for the future.

Future? Kimi would end up like other Red Bull drivers, who can't drive the car built for Max. His career would be finished. As it stands, he hasn't shown anything that can inspire confidence. Overrated at best. The likes of Hadjar are Lawson are doing better. He would stand no chance to do even what he is doing currently, which is ordinary, when he drives a car made for Max. Mercedes would be the next Red Bull for second drivers.

[SB15]

From @ErikvHaren on X

“Many stories and rumors again about Max Verstappen and Mercedes. The interest from Mercedes is there, and that is also known, but according to my information there is no official offer and Verstappen has therefore not said 'yes'.

Actually nothing changed t. o.v . last week“

[Matt2725]

So we're at driver talks to team. Also was reported that it was the Verstappen camp who approached Mercedes, not the other way around as assumed.

Suggestions in AMuS that they're trying to use it as leverage to knock Horner down a few pegs. I think it explains why George is seemingly content and not bothered publicly.

[SB15]

So we're at driver talks to team. Also was reported that it was the Verstappen camp who approached Mercedes, not the other way around as assumed.

Suggestions in AMuS that they're trying to use it as leverage to knock Horner down a few pegs. I think it explains why George is seemingly content and not bothered publicly.

At this points, Russell needs to do everything in his power to win the WDC this year, which seems like a long shot, but if Mercedes introduce only cooling and mechanical packages that will transfer towards next year, then Mclaren cannot sit still. Mercedes have loads of time, Spa is 3 weeks after the British GP and The Dutch GP is 4 weeks after Belgium.

So the team has about 1 month and a week of development time.

[Matt2725]

So we're at driver talks to team. Also was reported that it was the Verstappen camp who approached Mercedes, not the other way around as assumed.

Suggestions in AMuS that they're trying to use it as leverage to knock Horner down a few pegs. I think it explains why George is seemingly content and not bothered publicly.

At this points, Russell needs to do everything in his power to win the WDC this year, which seems like a long shot, but if Mercedes introduce only cooling and mechanical packages that will transfer towards next year, then Mclaren cannot sit still. Mercedes have loads of time, Spa is 3 weeks after the British GP and The Dutch GP is 4 weeks after Belgium.

I think George ending up ahead of Max in the standings, which is looking likely will be a good look for him. I know the excuses that the RBR is a backmarker will be heard far and wide, and it's all Max putting it there, rather than this is the result of building your team around one driver for years.

Something I don't think Max will get at Mercedes either.
Add to that all the corporate and sponsorship stuff he'll be expected to do.

For me, I still expect Russell and Kimi in the car next year and likely into 2027.

[RonMexico]

Any team would immediately roll out the red carpet for Verstappen.

Wolff badly wants him to drive for the team. They would likely gain the all time F1 records together.

[basti313]

Future? Kimi would end up like other Red Bull drivers, who can't drive the car built for Max.

If Max would change the team today this argument would be there starting next weekend.

I think George ending up ahead of Max in the standings, which is looking likely will be a good look for him.

I can not see this. As others say here as well...Ant did nothing special, still close. Ham does nothing special at Ferrari. I think the reference points for Rus doing anything special are quite low.
His seat is not safe, no matter where he ends this season. Even Toto could see that Ver lost points last race not by his own fault.

Something I don't think Max will get at Mercedes either.

The question is if and when he got it at RB?

Add to that all the corporate and sponsorship stuff he'll be expected to do.

As far as I can see it Ver is totally fine with this. In contrast, I would not be surprised if his GT3 team is suddenly running Mercs...

For me, I still expect Russell and Kimi in the car next year and likely into 2027.

Yep. Chance is not low, this is a big move. The interesting sentence is, that the board seems to be not convinced. If this comment is not just made up (why?), this bears a lot of info under the smoke. This would mean, the exit clause is triggered and there is really something behind.

[Matt2725]

Future? Kimi would end up like other Red Bull drivers, who can't drive the car built for Max.

If Max would change the team today this argument would be there starting next weekend.

I think George ending up ahead of Max in the standings, which is looking likely will be a good look for him.

I can not see this. As others say here as well...Ant did nothing special, still close. Ham does nothing special at Ferrari. I think the reference points for Rus doing anything special are quite low.
His seat is not safe, no matter where he ends this season. Even Toto could see that Ver lost points last race not by his own fault.

Something I don't think Max will get at Mercedes either.

The question is if and when he got it at RB?

Add to that all the corporate and sponsorship stuff he'll be expected to do.

As far as I can see it Ver is totally fine with this. In contrast, I would not be surprised if his GT3 team is suddenly running Mercs...

For me, I still expect Russell and Kimi in the car next year and likely into 2027.

Yep. Chance is not low, this is a big move. The interesting sentence is, that the board seems to be not convinced. If this comment is not just made up (why?), this bears a lot of info under the smoke. This would mean, the exit clause is triggered and there is really something behind.

Just this past week, Max openly said how much he despises doing corporate shill and sponsorship events. So I'm not sure what you're seeing to suggest he's "totally fine with this".

Also Ant still close? In what universe? He's getting absolutely demolished by Russell for want of a better word. It's not even remotely close between the two.
For someone with the level of testing and prep he's had, he should have made inroads already. George is making him look decidedly average comparably.

The discourse around this is really starting to get silly with takes like the ones above.

[Watto]

So we're at driver talks to team. Also was reported that it was the Verstappen camp who approached Mercedes, not the other way around as assumed.

Suggestions in AMuS that they're trying to use it as leverage to knock Horner down a few pegs. I think it explains why George is seemingly content and not bothered publicly.

At this points, Russell needs to do everything in his power to win the WDC this year, which seems like a long shot, but if Mercedes introduce only cooling and mechanical packages that will transfer towards next year, then Mclaren cannot sit still. Mercedes have loads of time, Spa is 3 weeks after the British GP and The Dutch GP is 4 weeks after Belgium.

I think George ending up ahead of Max in the standings, which is looking likely will be a good look for him. I know the excuses that the RBR is a backmarker will be heard far and wide, and it's all Max putting it there, rather than this is the result of building your team around one driver for years.

Something I don't think Max will get at Mercedes either.
Add to that all the corporate and sponsorship stuff he'll be expected to do.

For me, I still expect Russell and Kimi in the car next year and likely into 2027.

I lean towards it being Russell and Kimi next year too but, I put no weight at all in anything public about it being Verstappehn the approached Merc or vice versa , know football in the past where a lot of the is just either PR leaks I - sometimes contacting a contracted player/driver is frowned upon - and depends who leaks what , it can often be agenda setting Merc might say it wasn't them to if things don't eventuate they can try and claim it was us not Max that decided not to go ahead with things - obvious Max's side might want things the other way too. It could also be as indicated pressure on RBR to restructure.

I think Max would handle Mercedes PR stuff fine.

The concern I would have would be more Jos if thing didn't pan out, he has publicly been critical of RBR and Horner for a while now, but also had an argument with Horner in public view a while back maybe last year in Melbourne? I can't recall exactly this is something I don't think Mercedes and Toto would tolerate like RBR do.

I think there is too much smoke for this to all be nothing at the same time that far from means anything is a done deal

[djones]

Next year the Redbull be be nowhere with the new engines. Almost like Honda at the start of the hybrid era all over again.

Max knows this and will want out.

Ferrari and McLaren don’t have a spot. This leaves Mercedes. It’s pretty much a done deal imo as it’s a win/win situation for them both.

[basti313]

Just this past week, Max openly said how much he despises doing corporate shill and sponsorship events. So I'm not sure what you're seeing to suggest he's "totally fine with this".

I guess you are not hearing what he said. He was referring to the FIA stuff. He even increased the sponsorship as he made the deal to be brand ambassador for AT this year.

Also Ant still close? In what universe? He's getting absolutely demolished by Russell for want of a better word. It's not even remotely close between the two.
For someone with the level of testing and prep he's had, he should have made inroads already. George is making him look decidedly average comparably.

No, not really. This season has very comparable gaps as Hamilton vs. Russel in 2023. I do not know where you take the prep from, but Ant is the driver in the last years that had the lowest prep by far before joining F1. No F3, one year F2...is there any example of a driver moving that fast into F1? I think his results so far are more than remarkable.

The discourse around this is really starting to get silly with takes like the ones above.

Russel fan? Are you feeling the pain already?

So, what happens to Russel? I guess his only chance is RedBull and he is the only chance for RedBull...

I think there is too much smoke for this to all be nothing at the same time that far from means anything is a done deal

The question is, why Sky Italy is putting our this bomb, if there is nothing behind. They are completely and openly killing their reputation if this is really nothing.

[FittingMechanics]

I bet in a months time all these journalists will be sharing that they knew the deal is on but couldn't share it because it was told to them in confidence.

Max is probably deciding based on data from the engine programme, I know I would.

He probably got data from at least 3 engine manufacturers and can make a good guess of pecking order in 2026.