What Mercedes sources are now saying about Max Verstappen joining in 2025

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With the Formula 1 summer break drawing to a close, Mercedes still haven’t confirmed their replacement for Lewis Hamilton. It’s been six and a half months since news of Hamilton’s move to Ferrari became public.

There are likely two main reasons for the delay. The first is that Toto Wolff may have wanted time to assess Kimi Antonelli’s performances in Formula 2.

The academy driver has long been considered the favourite for the vacancy. But Wolff needed to see if the 17-year-old was ready for the jump not only to F1, but to a frontrunning seat.

The second is that he was holding out hope of signing Max Verstappen. Even Verstappen’s public declaration at the Austrian GP that he planned to stay at Red Bull for 2025 wasn’t enough for him to call off the pursuit.

Verstappen’s Red Bull contract runs until the end of the 2028 season, but the instability at the team this year has raised hopes that he may consider leaving. Chief technical officer Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley are departing, while Christian Horner has publicly clashed with Jos Verstappen.

For Wolff, this is partly about making amends. He’s lived to regret his failure to sign the Dutchman as a teenager, having watched him reach record heights at a rival team.

Max Verstappen plans to stay at Red Bull for next year rather than join Mercedes

According to Dutch publication De Telegraaf, ‘several sources close’ to the Mercedes team are aware that Verstappen will stay for 2025. In the short term at least, they’ve given up hope of signing him.

The 26-year-old has ‘always been crystal clear’ about this plan, but up to this point, Wolff thought he could convince him to change his mind. Now he ‘knows’ that he’ll have to revisit the matter at a later date.

This tallies with a recent report that Mercedes have now signed Antonelli. Having received a definitive ‘no’ from Verstappen, they moved on to their far more realistic plan-b.

Wolff sees Antonelli as the next Verstappen, and he’ll be able to pair him with a two-time race-winner in George Russell. That in itself is an exciting line-up, though Russell’s contract expires at the end of next year.

What Max Verstappen’s camp are currently saying about activating 2026 exit clause

Verstappen reportedly has an exit clause that kicks in ahead of the 2026 regulation changes. Mercedes will have to convince him to place their faith in this project, and they can point to the huge advantage they established at the start of 2014.

But as it stands, Verstappen thinks Red Bull are best prepared for the new ruleset. The Milton Keynes outfit are setting up their own powertrains division as they split with Honda.

He doesn’t intend to activate the clause, then, but plenty can change in the space of 12 months. Verstappen is ‘bothered’ by Red Bull’s struggles, having seen them surrender their dominant cushion and arguably fall behind McLaren.

Verstappen will compete in his 200th Grand Prix on home soil this weekend. He’s already won 61 races, and Red Bull will hope he can break the all-time record (currently Hamilton’s 105) in their colours.