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Max Verstappen has dealt a serious blow to Mercedes’ hopes of capturing his signature after he insisted he’ll stay at Pink Bull subsequent season.
Mercedes workforce principal Toto Wolff has known as Verstappen his main goal to interchange Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton, whereas the Austrian’s co-shareholder, and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Ola Kallenius, this week stated Verstappen “would look good in silver”.
However requested immediately if he shall be staying put subsequent 12 months, Verstappen – underneath contract with Pink Bull till 2028 – stated: “OK, sure. And that’s what I’ve already stated. We’re engaged on subsequent 12 months’s automotive. While you’re very targeted on that it implies that you’re additionally driving for the workforce.
“In fact individuals are speaking, however it’s most vital that we now have a really aggressive automotive for the long run. It is rather tight on monitor, however we’re working as a workforce to try to enhance. We need to be aggressive once more subsequent 12 months.”
Verstappen’s father, Jos, is right here in Spielberg for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix – solely his second look within the paddock since he claimed on the season-opening spherical in Bahrain that Pink Bull would “explode” if scandal-hit workforce principal Christian Horner remained in his publish.
However Verstappen continued: “I’ve a protracted contract with the workforce. I’m very glad the place I’m at, and, like I stated earlier than, we’re already specializing in subsequent 12 months with issues we will implement on the automotive. So, I assume that ought to say sufficient of the place I’m driving subsequent 12 months.”
Italian Kimi Antonelli, who will flip 18 in August, is anticipated to take Hamilton’s seat if the Silver Arrows are unable to influence Verstappen – who holds a 69-point championship lead forward of the eleventh spherical of 24 – to hitch them.
Verstappen has gained seven races up to now, however Pink Bull’s supremacy is underneath menace having dominated System One for the previous two-and-a-half years. McLaren’s Lando Norris is main the struggle and Mercedes are additionally having fun with a resurgence.
George Russell captured the workforce’s first pole place of the 12 months in Canada earlier this month, whereas Hamilton additionally ended his season-long look forward to a podium when he completed third in Spain final weekend.
Russell stated: “For positive, it’s a good thing that there’s not only one dominant pressure on the market as a result of individuals need to see fights on monitor and the drivers going at it.
“There needs to be a couple of automotive ready to win. It’s actually thrilling to see how this season pans out on the entrance and into subsequent 12 months, too, there could possibly be 4 or 5 groups preventing for a win.”
