Max Verstappen Leaves Door Open for Former Chief Mechanic After Sauber Move

Recently, there have been rumors about Max Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes and the legendary car maker Adrian Newey moving to Aston Martin. While all of this is just talk, there was a personnel change in Red Bull that the team may not be very happy about. As it happened, their Chief Mechanic, Lee Stevenson, left them for Sauber. However, this may not be the end of the road, as per Verstappen.

Stevenson, a renowned figure in F1, began his journey at the age of 15 with the Jordan Grand Prix, before he joined Red Bull Racing in 2006. After serving the Milton Keynes base for 18 years, he has now taken up a new venture. When asked about his thoughts on the same, the defending champion had some interesting thoughts to share.

Max Verstappen on chief mechanic’s departure to Sauber team

Max Verstappen has not responded to the rumors about his potential move to Mercedes, which were reportedly sparked by Toto Wolff’s interest. Adding to the intrigue, Red Bull’s chief mechanic’s departure to Sauber brings another twist.

When reporter Sándor Mészáros asked Verstappen about his relationship with Stevenson, he said, “I have a very good relationship with Leroy already from my start at Red Bull from 2016 onwards… We’ve had a few good years.”

After talking about the bond that the two shared, the 26-year-old said something which helps us believe that Stevenson’s return to Red Bull may still be on the cards. “He got a great opportunity at Sauber, and I don’t blame him for trying something new. Sometimes in life, you get opportunities and you maybe go a bit out of your comfort zone. You try something new. If it doesn’t work out, you can always come back, right? So, so good.”

Lee Stevenson announced his departure from Red Bull’s MK-7 facility on March 28, with a heartfelt message on Instagram, reminiscing about his tenure with the 6-time Constructors’ Championships.

Despite Red Bull delivering back-to-back bombshells, the future of the team remains uncertain. But do you feel the three-time world champion will move to Mercedes? Before you answer, keep in mind that Toto Wolff has shown keen interest in signing the Dutchman for the Silver Arrows.

Toto Wolff Pursuing Max Verstappen to join his team

Speculation about Max Verstappen’s potential move to Mercedes by 2025 gained momentum right after the Bahrain Grand Prix, coinciding with reports of Christian Horner’s attempts to take over the team. This fueled widespread belief in the racing world that a significant shift in Verstappen’s career path was imminent.

Three times, the world champion declared his willingness to remain with Red Bull, but his father, Joe Verstappen, expressed extreme discontent with the team’s management. Meanwhile, Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, kept in contact with Verstappen. And as things stand, despite the persistent rumors, the Dutchman has not yet disclosed any confirmation regarding his plans.

While the reigning champion has acknowledged the interest from the other team, he still believes Red Bull currently possesses the fastest car. This implies that the rumors of his departure remain unsubstantiated, as the Verstappen has not expressed any desire to join Mercedes.

Read More: Max Verstappen’s Secret to Winning Championships Goes Back to 2021, Explains Dutchman’s Former Coach