Formula One’s driver merry-go-round looks set to take shape in the coming days after Max Verstappen made it clear he was staying at Red Bull next season.
The three-time world champion has been a season-long target for Mercedes in the wake of the fall-out among Red Bull’s hierarchy.
The 26-year-old warned he could quit the world champions, with the rival Silver Arrows very publicly making it clear that there was a space for him at the team to replace the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
But speaking ahead of Red Bull’s home race, the Austrian Grand Prix, this weekend, Verstappen insisted he was staying put for 2025 at the very least.
“I have a long contract with the team, I’m very happy where I’m at and, like I said before, we’re focusing also already on next year with things we can implement on the car,” he said.
“So, I guess that should say enough of where I’m driving next year. We’re working and focusing on next year to try and be competitive again.”
Team boss Toto Wolff had previously said that Mercedes were focusing on improving this year’s car, which seems to be taking shape after Hamilton’s podium in Spain last weekend, and that no talks were being held with Verstappen.
Verstappen’s decision to stay put means Mercedes look likely to sign Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 17-year-old new rising star of motorsport who is set to be granted a super licence by the FIA to race next season.
Despite Antonelli being heavily linked with the drive, team principal Wolff said: “No driver decision has been made. I said we want to keep this decision as long as possible because who knows what happens.”
Carlos Sainz is the other big player in the driver market, with a decision to be made over whether to join Williams, Sauber or Alpine next year after being replaced by Hamilton at Ferrari.
And Daniel Ricciardo is in danger of the chop at RB after struggling against team-mate Yuki Tsunoda. Liam Lawson is being lined up as his replacement.
