Verstappen rejected Mercedes: "I think we made the right choice at the time"

"No, I think we made the right choice at the time," says Vermeulen when he is asked by Motorsport.com whether the Verstappen camp secretly regrets the rejection of Mercedes in 2014. 

Red Bull preferred over Mercedes

The German race team showed above average interest, but Toto Wolff's team could not promise that Verstappen could debut in Formula 1 the following year. Red Bull Racing was able to do so thanks to its sister team Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) and for that reason the choice was made for the Austrians.

"All three of us (including Jos Verstappen) are still fully behind that," the manager continues his story. "I think Max has really got a super coaching and also a super preparation for his F1 debut at Red Bull. Once again: we are at Red Bull and feel like a fish in the water. What the future brings is the future, but for now we are very happy with the choices we have made."

Verstappen extends at an early stage

In January, Red Bull suddenly announced that Max Verstappen's contract had been upgraded until 2023. In the next three seasons the ten-time Grand Prix winner will be driving for the Milton Keynes based race formation. However, there is a breakaway clause for Verstappen if Red Bull fails to meet certain (unknown) conditions.

But why did Verstappen choose for an extension so early on? Waiting might also have been an option. "At that moment we entered into conversation with Red Bull and - as things often go - you end up in a certain flow. And I think that at that moment, in that period of time, we also made the right decision. The future will show whether that [really] was the right decision, but at least all three of us fully support it," concludes Vermeulen.