'Verstappen and Mercedes open negotiations; Marko also to the German team'

Toto Wolff and his Mercedes team's flirtation with Max Verstappen is getting more serious. According to F1 insider, after the Miami Grand Prix, Max and manager Raymond Vermeulen will negotiate a possible contract with a delegation from Mercedes, starting from the '25 season. On behalf of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes boss Ola Källenius and Sir James Ratcliffe (of sponsor Ineos) are said to be meeting with the Verstappens.

After this interview, Max Verstappen will decide whether to leave Red Bull Racing after this season. Money will not be the issue in any case, as Mercedes plans to present Verstappen with the biggest ever contract to a driver in Formula 1. Talks will focus on how competitive Mercedes can be as early as '25.

Verstappen would want a guarantee that Mercedes can produce a better car in '25 than it does now. According to the German website, the Verstappen camp is convinced that the Dutchman is currently so good that he can compete for wins even with a slightly improved Mercedes compared to the current season.

It is no secret that Max Verstappen is keen to continue working with Helmut Marko. Red Bull Racing's Austrian advisor has also been in the kicking seat at that team for some time. There is reportedly full agreement within Mercedes with the idea of Marko moving to Mercedes in Verstappen's wake and taking on an advisor role there. With Marko on board, Mercedes believes it has once again made it more attractive for Verstappen to make the switch.