2025 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[WardenOfTheNorth]

Buying out his contract is another thing, but if Max has an exit clause, and it gets triggered this year, then it should be a no-brainer for Mercedes.

If what The Race report is correct, then Max's clause will be triggered if he is not in the top 3 WDC drivers by the end of July.

Only 1 race remaining before then and only George can potentially knock him down to 4th (George is 19 points behind).

Spa could be very, very interesting lol

[Watto]

I don't see that happening George has to win and Max finish 7th or 8th.


I am curious about the break his contract fee - is that Max has to be 4th in the drivers championship and the fee has to be paid to RBR, or is that a seperate clause to leave?

[Matt2725]

Buying out his contract is another thing, but if Max has an exit clause, and it gets triggered this year, then it should be a no-brainer for Mercedes.

If what The Race report is correct, then Max's clause will be triggered if he is not in the top 3 WDC drivers by the end of July.

Only 1 race remaining before then and only George can potentially knock him down to 4th (George is 19 points behind).

Spa could be very, very interesting lol

The scenes when George backs off out of P1 to finish in P2 with 18 points after Max DNFs.

[avantman]

I think it pretty much confirms he's staying at RBR. This is what they wanted all along and now they effectively have control of that team.

First you write this. Then you right this.

If anything, this situation weakens Verstappen's negotiating power as he would look desperate to abandon a sinking ship.

So Max finally got what he wanted - "effectively have control of that team", but still would look desperate to abandon it.
Nothing of what you say makes sense or can be backed up by any sort of logic. We all got you do not like Max (to put it mildly), but maybe it's better to follow your own advice and leave all that nonsense to twitter and reddit then?

[avantman]

I don't see that happening George has to win and Max finish 7th or 8th.


I am curious about the break his contract fee - is that Max has to be 4th in the drivers championship and the fee has to be paid to RBR, or is that a seperate clause to leave?

latest reports claims Mercedes board has approved buy out of Max contract worth 100mln. euros, which makes perfect sense, why would not they go for it if they want it so badly?
Money is not a problem whatsoever. Selling every Max fan a new Mercedes cap would make them more. Selling every Max fan a t-shirt would pay for his salary for 3 years. The rest, including signing new big sponsor would come as a bonus. Sponsors go after world champions. Ferrari signed HP after signing Lewis. Red bull got massive sponsorship deal with Oracle and Bybit right after winning first championship with Max. Signing Max would for sure allow them to sign new big sponsorship deals. But more importantly Max marketing value for Mercedes brand itself cannot be underestimated. He even speaks fluent German, which is very valuable on most competitive and major market in Europe.

[Watto]

I don't see that happening George has to win and Max finish 7th or 8th.


I am curious about the break his contract fee - is that Max has to be 4th in the drivers championship and the fee has to be paid to RBR, or is that a seperate clause to leave?

latest reports claims Mercedes board has approved buy out of Max contract worth 100mln. euros, which makes perfect sense, why would not they go for it if they want it so badly?
Money is not a problem whatsoever. Selling every Max fan a new Mercedes cap would make them more. Selling every Max fan a t-shirt would pay for his salary for 3 years. The rest, including signing new big sponsor would come as a bonus. Sponsors go after world champions. Ferrari signed HP after signing Lewis. Red bull got massive sponsorship deal with Oracle and Bybit right after winning first championship with Max. Signing Max would for sure allow them to sign new big sponsorship deals. But more importantly Max marketing value for Mercedes brand itself cannot be underestimated. He even speaks fluent German, which is very valuable on most competitive and major market in Europe.

Yeah I had read that which is why I wondered if that was a seperate clause. I was leaning towards it being a seperate clause. The talk of the 100m buyout then was mentioned paying Max $55m or something. Mercedes is worth around $50bn euros, Jim Radcliffe $17bn us, the fee if they want him and Max wants out isn't much an issue

[Matt2725]

I think it pretty much confirms he's staying at RBR. This is what they wanted all along and now they effectively have control of that team.

First you write this. Then you right this.

If anything, this situation weakens Verstappen's negotiating power as he would look desperate to abandon a sinking ship.

So Max finally got what he wanted - "effectively have control of that team", but still would look desperate to abandon it.
Nothing of what you say makes sense or can be backed up by any sort of logic. We all got you do not like Max (to put it mildly), but maybe it's better to follow your own advice and leave all that nonsense to twitter and reddit then?

It doesn't contradict what I said. He ain't going anywhere because he has control and any attempt to leave now would look like a rat jumping off a sinking ship.

But I invite you to stop reading my posts if you have an issue. Not to mention you're the one talking about reports of board approval which has only been reported by a less than reputable source, and you're treating it as fact.

[Watto]

I think it pretty much confirms he's staying at RBR. This is what they wanted all along and now they effectively have control of that team.

First you write this. Then you right this.

If anything, this situation weakens Verstappen's negotiating power as he would look desperate to abandon a sinking ship.

So Max finally got what he wanted - "effectively have control of that team", but still would look desperate to abandon it.
Nothing of what you say makes sense or can be backed up by any sort of logic. We all got you do not like Max (to put it mildly), but maybe it's better to follow your own advice and leave all that nonsense to twitter and reddit then?

It doesn't contradict what I said. He ain't going anywhere because he has control and any attempt to leave now would look like a rat jumping off a sinking ship.

But I invite you to stop reading my posts if you have an issue. Not to mention you're the one talking about reports of board approval which has only been reported by a less than reputable source, and you're treating it as fact.

Verstappen's news via Erik Van Haren who we all know is very close to them said the decision to remove Horner doesn't change anything for next year and Max will decide in the coming weeks what to do that he hasn't guaranteed staying or leav, it was hardly a strong backing Max has a contract etc. The chance to give some solidarity (even if he had not really decided yet)

[basti313]

If what The Race report is correct, then Max's clause will be triggered if he is not in the top 3 WDC drivers by the end of July.

It still does not make any sense to put clauses on WDC standings. It must be WCC, everything else is unethical for both sides. As this is all gossip and maybe a verbal leak, this info might just be false in this detail.

So Max finally got what he wanted - "effectively have control of that team", but still would look desperate to abandon it.

Why do you tell this nonsense? RBR now has Mackies as CEO, not Jos...
Furthermore they sacked Hughes, one of the strongest allies of Verstappen in RBR with Horner. If anything, the position is weakened.

leave now would look like a rat jumping off a sinking ship.

The ship is sinking since last year. "Women and children first" is already over, now it is "every man for himself". That they shot the captain in the course is just a sidenote on this.

[WardenOfTheNorth]

Pretty much every pundit seems to be saying Max stays put for 2026 and then decides where to go.

[TeamKoolGreen]

Buying out his contract is another thing, but if Max has an exit clause, and it gets triggered this year, then it should be a no-brainer for Mercedes.

If what The Race report is correct, then Max's clause will be triggered if he is not in the top 3 WDC drivers by the end of July.

Only 1 race remaining before then and only George can potentially knock him down to 4th (George is 19 points behind).

Spa could be very, very interesting lol

So why would Helmut Marko take full control of RBR and then still quit and move Max to Mercedes ?

[TeamKoolGreen]

If what The Race report is correct, then Max's clause will be triggered if he is not in the top 3 WDC drivers by the end of July.

It still does not make any sense to put clauses on WDC standings. It must be WCC, everything else is unethical for both sides. As this is all gossip and maybe a verbal leak, this info might just be false in this detail.

So Max finally got what he wanted - "effectively have control of that team", but still would look desperate to abandon it.

Why do you tell this nonsense? RBR now has Mackies as CEO, not Jos...
Furthermore they sacked Hughes, one of the strongest allies of Verstappen in RBR with Horner. If anything, the position is weakened.

leave now would look like a rat jumping off a sinking ship.

The ship is sinking since last year. "Women and children first" is already over, now it is "every man for himself". That they shot the captain in the course is just a sidenote on this.

You just won't give up your wish casting about Max going to Mercedes will you.

No matter what happens ppl just twist the narrative.

[TeamKoolGreen]

I don't see that happening George has to win and Max finish 7th or 8th.


I am curious about the break his contract fee - is that Max has to be 4th in the drivers championship and the fee has to be paid to RBR, or is that a seperate clause to leave?

latest reports claims Mercedes board has approved buy out of Max contract worth 100mln. euros, which makes perfect sense, why would not they go for it if they want it so badly?
Money is not a problem whatsoever. Selling every Max fan a new Mercedes cap would make them more. Selling every Max fan a t-shirt would pay for his salary for 3 years. The rest, including signing new big sponsor would come as a bonus. Sponsors go after world champions. Ferrari signed HP after signing Lewis. Red bull got massive sponsorship deal with Oracle and Bybit right after winning first championship with Max. Signing Max would for sure allow them to sign new big sponsorship deals. But more importantly Max marketing value for Mercedes brand itself cannot be underestimated. He even speaks fluent German, which is very valuable on most competitive and major market in Europe.

This was sourced by an outlet with zero credibility.

[basti313]

You just won't give up your wish casting about Max going to Mercedes will you.

No. Would be such a dream.

Just imagine this setting. Ham as Nr. 2 at Ferrari, Toto praising Ver, RedBull on the floor, all Dutch purchasing Merc gear.
If someone would have said this in 2021/2022 we would have called him anything. This is so crazy, that you have to love it.

[Lasssept]