McLaren F1 Legend Hints Max Verstappen Will Join Mercedes for 1 Person & It’s Not Toto Wolff

Piece by piece, the Red Bull team is being torn apart after Christian Horner’s investigation. It all started when Jos Verstappen suggested that Horner staying at Red Bull would lead to the team exploding and that is exactly what seems to be happening. Adrian Newey has already announced his move away from the team and Max Verstappen is expected to follow him out. Mercedes seems like the most likely option, however, Toto Wolff isn’t the reason behind the 3X champ joining the team.

Ever since Lewis Hamilton made the Ferrari move, Toto Wolff has been left with the task of filling in the shoes of a 7X champ. And who better than the man who most recently beat the Brit to a championship? Toto Wolff to this date regrets not signing Max Verstappen back when he made his F1 debut and is now aggressively pursuing the Dutchman to drive for Mercedes. 

The power struggle at Red Bull makes it all the more likely that Max Verstappen will leave. Earlier this week, Adrian Newey announced that he will be leaving Red Bull during the Q1 of 2025.  Max Verstappen is also rumored to leave the team along with Helmut Marko following a fiasco going on between the team. Adrian Newey is the mastermind behind the Red Bull cars and without him, the team will not be the same, nor will the car.

James Allison is often considered next to Adrian Newey when it comes to aerodynamicist, and Mika Hakkinen, the McLaren legend, suggests it is because of Allison that Max Verstappen will join Mercedes. According to unibet.co.uk, Mika Hakkinen said, “Mercedes has a vacancy following Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. Max knows that team boss Toto Wolff is determined to return to the front of Formula 1 with a team working under the stable technical leadership of James Allison.”

And the recent rumors of a meeting between the Max Verstappen camp and Mercedes camp make it all the more interesting. What is this rumored meeting all about? Let’s find out. 

Toto Wolff ready to offer $160 Million to Max Verstappen to join Mercedes?

Last week the rumors started filling the paddock that Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff are set to meet after the Miami GP and discuss a possible contract for the Dutchman to join Mercedes. Wolff is reported to go as high as $160 Million a year to lure the 3X champ and help fill the seat left behind by Lewis Hamilton. However, Wolff has denied the rumors during the Miami GP press conferences. 

Yet, according to the rumors, Toto Wolff will be joined by the CEO of Daimler group Ola Kallenius, and Sir James Ratcliff, the largest shareholder of INEOS while Max Verstappen will arrive with his father Jos Verstappen, and representative. Along with the $160 million, Verstappen is also rumored to be offered an Ambassadorial role and the option to bring in Helmut Marko as well.

What do you think? Will Max Verstappen make the move to Red Bull?