With a chance that the man behind so much of their success departing, it could be the perfect time for Verstappen to embark on a new journey in the prime of his career.
Lewis Hamilton made a similar switch back in 2012 when he joined the Silver Arrows, so Verstappen genuinely considering the move is not as farfetched as many believe.
Max Verstappen has dominated the last few F1 seasonsAdrian Newey has helped pioneer much of Red Bull's success
It’s likely that by the end of 2024, he will have achieved four world championships withRed Bull and still may be yet to hit the prime of his career.
He is such a valuable commodity, that according to F1-Insider, Mercedes could be willing to pay him upwards of €150 million per year.
There is also a supposed clause in his contract which suggests that if close friend and Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko leaves the team, then Verstappen too is free to explore options elsewhere.
Helmut Marko is a big part of Max Verstappen's success
The most significant part of negotiations, which F1-Insider claims will begin after the Miami Grand Prix, could be Mercedes’ willingness to ‘integrate’ Marko into their team.
The team must show that it can improve its performance first, as winning is the most important thing for Verstappen, but if they can convince him of a move, it would have massive implications for the sport over the next five years.
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