What Toto Wolff will give Max Verstappen that Lewis Hamilton never had if he joins Mercedes

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Toto Wolff is willing to offer Max Verstappen something he denied Lewis Hamilton to persuade him to join Mercedes, according to a report.

Wolff wants Verstappen to replace Hamilton at the Silver Arrows after the seven-time world champion decided to join Ferrari.

And according to F1 Insider, he’ll propose an incentive not even Hamilton has enjoyed.

Wolff needs to persuade the Dutchman to abandon a Red Bull team who have delivered title-winning cars in the past three seasons.

Last year’s RB19 was the most dominant car in the sport’s history, with Verstappen winning 19 of the 22 Grands Prix.

• READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth and girlfriend to height

He also won the first two races of the current campaign in dominant fashion before a brake issue forced him to retire in Australia last time out.

Verstappen, however, knows that there will be major changes to the F1 regulations for 2026, which could shake up the running order.

Mercedes stole a march on the field at the beginning of the turbo/hybrid era in 2014, winning the next eight constructors’ titles.

Verstappen’s ex-trainer thinks he’ll be willing to leave Red Bull if he believes he has a better chance of winning elsewhere.

In a sign that he’s willing to go all-out to capture the 26-year-old, Wolff is also targeting Red Bull’s chief engineer Pierre Wache.

Mercedes could make Max Verstappen an ambassador

Wolff can promise Verstappen a ‘rosier’ sporting picture from 2026 onwards, with Mercedes confident in their new power unit.

The move would initially appear to be a step-down given Red Bull’s dominance and the Silver Arrows’ struggles – they’re currently down in fourth in the standings, more than 70 points behind – but they’ll make a long-term pitch.

On top of that, they’re ready to table an ‘advertising ambassador contract’ that will be ‘lucrative’ for Verstappen even after he retires.

This is something that the 56-time race-winner could find ‘hard to refuse’.

Significantly, the Daily Mail reported last year that Mercedes weren’t willing to agree to Hamilton’s demands for a 10-year, £200m ambassador deal.

The Briton eventually signed a new two-year contract, but the second year was optional, enabling him to jump ship to Ferrari.

What is Max Verstappen’s salary?

Wolff may need to at least match Verstappen’s existing base salary of £35m per year, the second-highest on the grid.

The good news is that Hamilton is the sport’s highest earner at a guaranteed £43.5m, so his exit will theoretically free up the funds.

However, Mercedes may also be forced to buy out Verstappen’s current Red Bull deal, which runs until the end of 2028.

The reigning world champion apparently has an exit clause in his contract if director Helmut Marko leaves, and may have the option to depart if Christian Horner’s team struggle in 2026.

But, by the looks of it, neither of those will apply at this moment in time.

Still, one report has claimed he’s ‘increasingly likely’ to sign for Mercedes in another sensational driver transfer.

Another says he appreciates the charm offensive from the Brackley outfit amid the fractious atmosphere at Red Bull.

More than half of the field are out of contract for 2025, but many drivers will likely wait until Mercedes have confirmed the identity of Hamilton’s replacement before they commit their future elsewhere.