Max Verstappen is set for a new season with Red Bull. Although the four-time world champion was strongly linked last year to a possible switch to Mercedes, he remained loyal to the Austrian outfit. Still, questions linger about Verstappen’s future — driven in part by the new regulations and the uncertainty surrounding the new engine partnership with Ford. Former driver Ralf Schumacher, however, sees little to be gained from a transfer.
Although Verstappen is officially under contract until 2028, his deal contains clauses that give him room to reassess his options. That repeatedly fuels debate about a possible future away from Milton Keynes. Mercedes is often the first name mentioned. Yet not everyone is convinced a partnership between Verstappen and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff will actually come to pass, despite the ongoing speculation and the uncertainty over the balance of power under the new regulations.
‘Don’t see Verstappen and Wolff teaming up’
Ralf Schumacher counts himself among the sceptics and doesn’t believe the chemistry between the two parties is automatic. On the German-language podcast Backstage Boxengasse he discussed a possible transfer of Max Verstappen. “I think it would only become a subject of debate if the car, for whatever reason, stopped being competitive,” he explained. “On the other hand, what are the real alternatives? I still don’t really see Verstappen and Wolff getting on well together. For some reason they don’t fully click.”
“A team like McLaren would of course move heaven and earth for Verstappen if it had the chance to offer him a seat,” Schumacher added. “The same goes for Aston Martin. But Red Bull feels like home to him, and at the end of last year he seemed extremely comfortable. You really get the sense he has become one with the team. That’s why there is no discussion right now. Where else would he have such a bond? It’s, in effect, his team.”
