What Max Verstappen will study on Mercedes 2025 car before making decision on Red Bull future

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Ever since Lewis Hamilton decided it was time to leave Mercedes to join Ferrari, team principal Toto Wolff has had his eye on one driver.

Mercedes have the safety blanket of exciting youngster Kimi Antonelli in their ranks, but their main long-term target is Max Verstappen.

Verstappen’s Formula 1 record is extraordinary and it would be a huge surprise if he didn’t add a fourth world title to his collection at the end of 2024.

However, things aren’t going smoothly at Red Bull this season with two key personnel leaving after Rob Marshall joined rivals McLaren at the beginning of the year.

Adrian Newey looks most likely to join Aston Martin after masterminding plenty of championship-winning cars during his time with the team.

Sporting director Jonathan Wheatley is also moving on after agreeing to become Audi’s team principal ahead of their F1 debut in 2026.

A report from F1 Insider has shared what Verstappen and his team are looking out for at Mercedes next year before deciding which team he wants to drive for when the sport’s new regulations are introduced in 18 months.

Mercedes would love to sign Verstappen for 2025, but the easiest way for the Dutchman to get out of his contract has now been removed.

His future is tied to Helmut Marko’s, but Marko has since signed a Red Bull new deal making a 2026 exit much more feasible for Verstappen.

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What Max Verstappen is looking for at Mercedes before making 2026 decision

The report from F1 Insider explains the situation with Marko’s contract and how that could impact Verstappen’s future.

It’s said that reports linking Verstappen to Aston Martin are wide of the mark and nothing the team have done so far suggest they’re going to be title challengers any time soon, even with big developments behind the scenes.

However, they believe that the Verstappen camp are in ‘confidential, open and regular’ contact with Wolff and Mercedes CEO Ola Kallenius.

They think that Verstappen wants to take a close look at how Mercedes develop their chassis in 2025.

He believes that comparing their progression to how Red Bull develops over the next 12 months will give him the best indication of who to drive for in 2026.

If Mercedes continue to improve and Red Bull’s development stagnates, then a move to Mercedes may make sense.

There are also lots of positive things being said about Mercedes 2026 power unit while Red Bull will be working with Ford for the first time.

Martin Brundle was impressed by Red Bull Powertrains when he visited the facility, but Verstappen will have the best idea of how the project is progressing.

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Mercedes set to promote Kimi Antonelli ruling out Max Verstappen 2025 move

While Marko’s new contract makes hiring Verstappen in 2025 virtually impossible for Mercedes, the alternative for Wolff is equally exciting albeit for a very different reason.

Antonelli has impressed in every junior series he’s raced in and while he won’t win the Formula 2 championship this year, his rapid progression over the past few rounds has caught the eye.

Williams team principal James Vowles loved one overtake Antonelli completed at Spa and wins at Silverstone and Hungaroring have firmly established him as PREMA’s strongest driver this season.

That’s all the more impressive when his teammate Oliver Bearman has already secured a race seat in F1 next year with Haas.

Antonelli isn’t close to the level of Verstappen yet, but a strong debut season could put George Russell’s seat at risk should the Dutchman decide Mercedes are the best team to move forward with in 2026.