Verstappen to Mercedes? That wasn’t the only consideration
Jos Verstappen says there was "a lot" of talk about Max Verstappen joining Mercedes
Despite discussing a potential move to Mercedes “a lot”, Jos Verstappen has revealed that the Brackley squad wasn’t the only team that his championship-winning son Max gave thought to.
They’ve also spoken about a possible move to Ferrari in the years to come.
Verstappen: But we also talk about Ferrari…
Although Verstappen won a fourth successive World title with Red Bull last season, the driver had been heavily linked with a move away from the Milton Keynes squad in the last 18 months.
Off-track drama coupled with declining results on the track led to speculation that Verstappen was considering his options with Mercedes said to be the front-runner, that boosted by Toto Wolff publicly courting the driver to replace Lewis Hamilton.
But even Mercedes’ confirmation that Kimi Antonelli would take Hamilton’s seat after his move to Ferrari did little to quash the speculation; it just moved on a year.
Between George Russell announcing that Verstappen was in “ongoing” talks with Wolff, the Austrian’s refusal to deny such negotiations and Verstappen keeping his own council, F1 rumour mill had a lot to say about Verstappen’s Formula 1 future.
In the end, Verstappen simply told the media, including PlanetF1.com, that “yeah”, he was staying at Red Bull, adding: “I think it’s time to basically stop all the rumours and, for me, it’s always been quite clear that I was staying anyway.”
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Clear or not, though, his father Jos Verstappen revealed to Viaplay presenter Amber Brantsen that there had been conversations about joining Mercedes.
And that wasn’t the only team that was discussed.
“Also a lot,” Jos replied, when asked how long the duo spent speaking about Mercedes. “It’s not that we only talk about it a lot this year.
“This year, nevertheless, a bit more than the years before. Also a lot of nonsense comes along [with the rumours].
“But we also talk about Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. That makes sense.
“We always talk about it with Raymond Vermeulen [Verstappen’s manager], Max and myself, but he makes the final decision.”
Verstappen was clear on that one himself.
“I have to choose for myself what I want,” he said.
“It’s obviously a close-knit group together. We also talk about a lot of things outside of Formula 1, but important decisions are of course always gone through thoroughly.”
But while some F1 drivers have spoken about the dream of racing for Ferrari, last year Verstappen made it clear that it’s not one of his goals.
“I don’t want to sound disrespectful or whatever. I have a lot of respect for the brand Ferrari, but I’m very happy where I am at the moment,” he said as he began his title defence in 2024.
“I’m comfortable in the environment that I’m in, so for me, it’s not something that I’m looking for, to change.
“But again, in my life also, I know from what I’ve experienced so far, I never say never with things. But for me now, it’s not even in my in my head.
“But again, it’s only Formula 1. I want to do more things than Formula 1 as well.”
Verstappen has a long-term contract with Red Bull, one that runs through to the end of the F1 2028 season. Red Bull, however, have confirmed there are clauses in it that would allow the driver to leave early.
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko recently reiterated this, telling F1-Insider: “If it turns out next year that we are not competitive, he can always reconsider his decision.”
For now, though, he’s happy that Verstappen has chosen to remain with Red Bull for the F1 2026 season when the sport resets the regulations with all-new cars and engines.
“I don’t know what considerations he made, personally and with his management,” the Red Bull motorsport advisor added. “But it was clear from his statements that he wanted to stay.
“Even if the escape clause had come into effect… Nobody knows what the situation will be like in 2026.
“Mercedes declares itself the favourite, but there is no evidence.
“Also in terms of chassis, you don’t know who will hit the jackpot. There is a lot of uncertainty.
“From his perspective, it makes much more sense to stay, wait and see.”
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