Toto Wolff is willing to offer Max Verstappen something he refused to give Lewis Hamilton in order to sign him with Mercedes.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Toto Wolff has made it obvious that he intends to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes with Max Verstappen.
- Given the quality disparity, convincing the Dutchman to switch from Red Bull to Mercedes at this time may be challenging.
- Wolff is therefore prepared to offer Verstappen something he would not have offered Hamilton prior to his departure to Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton’s love affair with Mercedes came to an end as the Brit announced his switch to Ferrari for the upcoming season. With this massive vacuum in Mercedes’ driver lineup, team principal Toto Wolff has made it clear that Max Verstappen is his preferred replacement.
However, Wolff will have to pry Verstappen away from a Red Bull squad that has won him the previous three World Drivers’ Championships in a row. The RB19 car from previous season had one of the most dominant records in Formula One history, winning 19 of the 22 races on the calendar.
While Red Bull has experienced a boom in success since the 2022 regulation revisions, Mercedes has taken the opposite approach. The Silver Arrows currently lie fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, 71 points behind Red Bull.
Mercedes’ Offer to Max Verstappen
They are prepared to offer Verstappen what they refused in Hamilton.
To entice Verstappen, Wolff has had to turn to long-term incentives. The Mercedes executive is eager to offer the Dutchman a ‘advertising ambassador contract,’ which would be extremely profitable for the three-time world champion long after his retirement.
This move is remarkable, given that Mercedes turned down Hamilton’s request for a similar arrangement last year. According to the Daily Mail, Mercedes rejected Hamilton’s 10-year offer worth £200 million.
Verstappen became the highest-paid Formula One driver this year, with his compensation reaching £45 million. This overtook Hamilton, who is earning £40 million for the 2024 season. Despite Verstappen’s higher pay, Mercedes should be able to match his compensation demands.
Mercedes looks to the future.
The 2026 regulatory amendments could benefit the team.
Although Mercedes has underperformed this season, the new FIA regulations slated to go into effect in 2026 may favor the Silver Arrows. Wolff’s team excelled following the 2014 revisions that introduced the turbo/hybrid era, winning eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships. These new improvements will have the greatest influence on the power unit, perhaps catapulting Mercedes back to peak performance.
Wolff is also looking for Red Bull’s top engineer, Pierre Wache, who may provide Verstappen with some continuity if he decides to drive for the Silver Arrows.
Despite these financial and performance incentives to go to Mercedes in the future, Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull until 2028. The Silver Arrows might buy him out of his contract, although this is exceedingly improbable.
Will Verstappen leave Red Bull for Mercedes?
Verstappen may quit if Red Bull director Helmut Marko departs, or if the car underperforms in the following seasons. The former is significantly more likely, but it is far from certain. The two may also contemplate moving to escape the turbulent atmosphere at Red Bull, with chief Christian Horner’s personal troubles potentially affecting the environment at the racing titans, despite Marko’s claim that “everything is fine.”
This move to Mercedes is almost probably not going to happen in time for the 2019 season, so Wolff will have to find a different, short-term substitute for now. More than half of the field is out of contract in 2025, so the pickings should be plentiful. This includes recent Grand Prix champion Carlos Sainz Jr., who will be replaced by Hamilton next season at Ferrari.
It is also unlikely that many elite drivers will sign with another team before Hamilton’s replacement is announced. Wolff will be able to leverage the desirable status of the Mercedes job to delay his choice and consider who his best alternative is.
If Wolff continues to try to track down Verstappen, this new driver will have one of the most precarious seats in Formula One.
