Verstappen 'hasn't closed the door on a move from Red Bull'

Mercedes

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Verstappen 'hasn't closed the door on a move from Red Bull'

Could the Dutchman finally leave Red Bull and join up with Toto Wolff?

Matthew Bannister

Tuesday 18 February 2020 11:00 Updated: 11:04

With Lewis Hamilton’s future up in the air Mercedes Boss Toto Wolff has hinted a possibility of bringing in Red Bull star Max Verstappen.

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Whilst speculation suggested a move for the young Dutchman to join Wolff at the end of last season, the 22-year-old signed a new four-year extension with Red Bull ending the rumours.

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However, the German boss believes that there is a secret clause to Verstappen’s contract that could see him join the Silver Arrows to replace the potential departure of Hamilton.

The ideal scenario would be for Mercedes to keep hold of their star driver, though it looks like Wolff has put in a backup plan in case the 35-year-old British driver decides to call it quits.

Ferrari’s youngster Charles Leclerc is also on Wolff’s radar and doesn’t believe that both drivers would remain committed to their teams for so long.

Can Wolff persuade Verstappen to join Mercedes?

Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport the 48-year-old Austrian said; “I would be surprised if both of these young drivers have committed to their teams for five years and closed the door to everywhere else.”

These factors all depend on one person and that is Hamilton. Since joining Mercedes in 2012 from McLaren, the Stevenage born driver has enjoyed much success.

Whilst enduring a tough start for the Silver Arrows since 2014 there’s been no looking back, collecting five World Driver Championships along the way.

All this success Hamilton has provided to Wolff and his team has lead a pathway for the British driver to make new records come this season and potentially equal Michael Schumacher’s championship record of seven.

Whether he does will be known by the end of this season and if so, would he create his own legacy by staying put or is the iconic red race suit too tempting for the current World Champion to turn down?