Mercedes has their eyes on Max Verstappen but Red Bull will not let that happen. Recently, rumors about the defending champion changing his team have gotten louder as Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff joins the pursuit. With Verstappen’s main criteria for a team is having the fastest car on the grid, Mercedes still has a way to go before convincing the Dutchman. But does this mean they will succeed?

Ever since Ola Källenius made his statement of wanting to sign Max Verstappen, everyone is wondering if Mercedes will succeed in bringing in the reigning champion. After the Spanish Grand Prix, Racing News 365 interviewed Christian Horner to ask him about his thoughts on Verstappen switching teams. To no ones surprise, Horner seemed confident that his driver will remain loyal until his contract lasted, and here is what he had to say about it.

Will Max Verstappen leave Red Bull for Mercedes?

When Horner was asked about the rumors surrounding Mercedes wanting to sign Verstappen, he responded, “I’m very clear about where he’s going to be most in the coming year and that’s here, but is Toto still talking about him? ” Currently, the RB20 is being challenged by the MCL38 and this means that Verstappen has a tough season ahead. Despite having a contract till 2028, the Dutchman has an exit clause that Mercedes is trying to leverage.

According to Racing News 365, the conversation took a turn when Horner was asked about Verstappen’s performance and thats when he replied, “Max is fantastic under pressure. Last year was more of a unicorn year, but this year he’s more normal. He’s hungry, he wants to win and he hates to lose, that’s how it should be.” Last year, Red Bull only lost 1 race all season and Max Verstappen won 19 out of 22 races. 

Horner explained, “He’s pushing himself; he just wants to go faster and there’s no driver of his calibre who’s happy with what he’s got. Deep down, he’s just looking for more performance and he’s also demanding from the team; he just wants to go fast.” With the other teams getting close to Red Bull in terms of points, the pressure is rising as the number of remaining races decreases. 

With other teams getting closer to them, Horner knows what the team needs to do to bring home the championship this season. Along with that, his plan also includes doing the needful to keep his current driver. Here is what Horner had to say about the need of the hour in Red Bull:.

Red Bull’s plans for the rest of the season

After having a season like Red Bull did in 2023, its easy to get lost in the confidence that this year will be the same. But with other teams picking up their pace, Red Bull cannot get complacent. Ever since the Miami race, Verstappen has not had an easy time winning Grand Prix weekends. This year is not like last and even the three-time world champion knows this by now.

Christian Horner went on record to to compare this season with his most successful one in 2023. He explained, “It wasn’t normal to win every race in 2023 and now we have to fight very hard for every victory. Max is making the difference.” Red Bull is still in the lead but many are wondering how long will this last.

Max Verstappen has been fighting for every win in recent races and is successfully pulling it off. The man who was considered to have a breeze in this season has competitors targeting him from all directions. Sergio Perez on the other hand, is having a difficult season as he is currently P5 on the drivers championship.

If Red Bull wants to win, they need to make sure their car is ready for every circuit and also polish Sergio Perez’s results. Keeping up with current trends might put them at risk of losing the championship. With that said, do you think Red Bull will continue to win this years title too? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.