Jul.4 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko tried to be blunt and straightforward about Max Verstappen’s future amid a firestorm of speculation in the Silverstone paddock.
“He hasn’t signed and he can’t,” Red Bull’s long-time motorsport advisor and a key mentor of the quadruple world champion’s career told Kleine Zeitung.
He is referring, of course, to Mercedes, and the strengthening rumours that Verstappen’s contract exit clauses have now been triggered and he is ready to sign up for 2026 and beyond.
Verstappen tried his now familiar routine of giving almost nothing away to the throngs of journalists clamouring around him, but one brave reporter asked the Dutchman: “Why is your camp talking to Mercedes then?”
“Who says that?” the quadruple world champion hit back.
“Mercedes,” the journalist replied.
Verstappen also dismissed the notion that he might re-commit to Red Bull if Christian Horner is ousted. “I don’t know anything about that,” the 27-year-old insisted.
He also wouldn’t answer if his famous exit clauses are now active, explaining: “I don’t talk about my contract. That makes it a bit easier for everyone.
“I honestly have nothing to add to what I said last week.”
Still, Verstappen seemed in a better mood about the situation compared to Marko. “It’s just getting annoying now,” the 82-year-old Austrian admitted.
“The same questions all the time and we always give the same answers, because nothing has changed in the initial situation.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown, however, insisted that he has “the feeling something is up”, and former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher fully agrees with that.
“I get the feeling that Dr Marko has given up the fight for Verstappen,” he told Sky Deutschland. “He understands that Verstappen is likely to leave – and then the even bigger problem is the way the team is set up.
“They now have a designer who doesn’t have a handle on designing that car.”
The latest rumour is that Mercedes could give itself plenty of time to wait for Verstappen’s decision by re-signing George Russell right now – and having a plan-B in place for Kimi Antonelli.
Some think that’s what Toto Wolff’s half-hour discussion with his Alpine counterpart Flavio Briatore was about a week ago in Austria.
“There’s a lot going on and a lot of talks,” 18-year-old Antonelli said on Thursday, “but I’m happy at Mercedes and not looking for alternatives.”
Antonelli to Alpine, however, would presumably oust Franco Colapinto – and the Argentine, despite struggling for performance, remains commercially powerful.
Former Sergio Perez and Red Bull sponsor Claro, for instance, is suddenly now back in the paddock – with Alpine and Colapinto.
“We have been present in this sport for several years and now we return,” said Claro Argentina CEO Julio Porras Zadik.
“We are very excited to support Franco at this key moment.”
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