Wild speculation
F1 hammer? “Don’t know how this drama will end”
Max Verstappen in a Mercedes, Fernando Alonso in a Red Bull - or will Sebastian Vettel perhaps come out of retirement after all? "I'm not going to follow what others do and let someone else dictate my fate. I'll do that myself," said Alonso. "The decision will be made regardless of what happens at Mercedes or Red Bull. We don't know how this drama will end!"
Change rumors and wild speculation about the really big names keep Formula 1 in suspense early in the season. After just three races of the season, the focus is on the end of the year. It is quite possible that more big surprises will follow the sensational switch of record world champion Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025.
Mercedes flirts with Verstappen
The fact is: the Silver Arrows want world champion Verstappen as Hamilton's successor. "Yes, you can see what his performance level is like," said team boss Toto Wolff in a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia. The German works team has been flirting with the serial winner for weeks. However, the Dutchman still has a contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028. Nevertheless, the three-time champion is said to have a clause that would allow him to leave the team should his close confidant Helmut Marko have to leave early.
The 80-year-old Styrian is the opponent of team boss Christian Horner in an explosive affair. Horner was accused of inappropriate behavior by an employee. Following an investigation initiated by the parent company Red Bull, the complaint was dismissed. However, anonymous emails with juicy details fueled the affair, which in turn brought power struggles at Red Bull to light.
Verstappen actually just wants to race and keep winning. After his recent retirement in Australia, the aim is to defend and extend his championship lead in Suzuka on Sunday (7.00 am/live in the sportkrone.at ticker). Hardly anyone doubts that he will succeed in Japan, as he is still in the best car. So it seems questionable why he should drive a Mercedes in the future. The car is not working for the second year in a row, and Hamilton has even had the worst start to a season of his career. Despite apparent interpersonal problems at Red Bull, Verstappen probably has the best prospects there.
Here is the championship standings:
Alonso's contract expires this year
This is perhaps exactly what Fernando Alonso would like to have again. At the age of 42, the 2005 and 2006 world champion is thinking about moving on. According to reports, the Spaniard is Horner's preferred candidate and could replace the Mexican Sergio Pérez. The latter has been too inconsistent in the past, and the expiring contracts of Alonso at Aston Martin and Pérez at Red Bull at the end of the year could be the moment to make a change. So there could be the dream duo of Verstappen and Alonso - or Verstappen could go to Aston Martin. There have also been media reports about this scenario recently.
"I'm not going to follow what others do and let someone else dictate my fate. I'll do it myself," emphasized Alonso. "The decision will be made regardless of what happens at Mercedes or Red Bull. We don't know how this drama will end," said Alonso, who also wanted to become world champion in a Ferrari and failed.
Vettel also in focus
Just like Sebastian Vettel, who retired at the end of 2022. In various interviews, the four-time world champion recently did not rule out a return to Formula 1. He also spoke to Wolff, but allegedly not about the vacant seat in the garage. At 36, he is still young compared to others, said Vettel in any case, alluding to Hamilton (38) and Alonso, who can still impress with speed even at an advanced age, if their company cars allow it.
A lot will depend on how Mercedes fills the second cockpit alongside Briton George Russell in the coming years. Alonso is said to be on the list, as are Carlos Sainz (29) and young talent Kimi Antonelli (17). However, the racing team is clearly hoping for a big name with charisma - and it doesn't get any bigger than Verstappen at the moment.
Sainz still without a job for next year
Sainz, who was booted out of Ferrari for Hamilton, only showed his skills a week and a half ago when he took advantage of Verstappen's retirement to win in Melbourne just two weeks after an appendectomy. "I'm still without a job for next year. That will help," said Sainz. The Spaniard has also been linked to Kick Sauber, which will become the Audi works team from 2026, and also has good connections to Red Bull as a former junior driver.
A decision at Mercedes is not likely to be made until the summer. However, Wolff has recently made it clear time and again just how important Verstappen is. The Viennese described it as a failure not to have signed the exceptional talent as a teenager. Instead, Verstappen joined Red Bull at the age of 16.
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