'They Want Me In That Car': Verstappen Understands Mercedes Interest

Monday, 08 April 2024 at 18:00

Updated at Monday, 08 April 2024 at 18:07

Max Verstappen is aware that Mercedes and Toto Wolff are interested in having him in their car in the following seasons.

The Dutch driver has a contract with Red Bull until the 2028 season, but still, there seems to be a permanent discussion about his future with the team, even though he seems to be committed to it.

It came in light of his recent comments when he admitted that he could leave the team if certain key figures left it as well. That immediately caught the eye of the Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff.

Ever since, the German team principal has talked often about Verstappen, regularly making positive comments about him, something that hasn't been seen so often in the past.

The Dutch driver noticed that, and after the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit, he even joked that Wolff has been very nice to him lately.

In a recent interview with Limburger, the three-time World Champion was asked about the interest from Mercedes, and he showed that he's well aware of that, saying that given his success, he can't be ignored, especially not from Mercedes.

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"He can't do anything else. I understand why he does it. You can't ignore me. In the past, even before Red Bull, we had discussions with Mercedes. Then they said: you have to do this and that to become successful."

It was the German team that had an interest in Verstappen early on in his career, but eventually, he went to Red Bull, and that may be something that haunts Wolff until this day.

That's probably why he thinks the team wants him in their car, even though there were tensions between Red Bull and Mercedes only a few years ago in 2021.

"I think I have now shown how it should be done. They want me in that car, I understand that. Look: a few years ago there was of course a little more tension between us and Mercedes…"