The exit of the British designer from Red Bull could trigger a domino effect with Mercedes making a huge offer to grab Max Verstappen
The situation in Red Bull seems to have exploded with the news of Adrian Newey's departure, which could trigger a domino effect with other prominent figures in the team such as Max Verstappen who could abandon the boat. In fact, the pilot born in Hasset, together with his clan made up of his father If e dal manager Raymond Vermeulenprepares to meet the Mercedes between the Miami GP and the Imola GP. Mercedes representatives present at the meeting will be the team's top management, including Ola Kallenius, Toto Wolff and Sir James Ratcliffe of Ineoseach of which has a third of the team.
Max has a clause in his contract with the team related to the stay of Helmut Marko, and it seems Marko is willing to step aside to allow Verstappen to leave the team. Verstappen also wants to ensure that Mercedes can offer a more competitive car than the current one and could call for the arrival of some top-level engineers from Red Bull.
Verstappen-Mercedes: the offer is mind-boggling
To ensure the performance of the three-time world champion, the Three-Pointed Star team is ready to put an exorbitant sum on the table. Verstappen has a clause in his contract with Red Bull linked to Helmut Marko staying, and it appears that Marko is willing to step aside to allow Verstappen to leave the team. Verstappen is also keen to ensure that Mercedes can deliver a more competitive car than the current one and could ask for the arrival of some high-level technicians from Red Bull.
Mercedes seems ready to satisfy Verstappen's requests, offering him an exorbitant sum of 150 million per year, including bonuses and a long-term contract that would make him a brand ambassador at the end of his career. Furthermore, Mercedes is willing to welcome Helmut Marko to the team, demonstrating their determination to secure Verstappen as their driver.
The Germans at F1-Insider report all this and report a rather poisonous atmosphere. The internal power struggle at Red Bull, which began with Newey's exit, could now also see the Dutch champion involved, who however wants have guarantees on the Mercedes technical project. The situation is constantly evolving and we will keep you updated as always on techgameworld.com.