What's going on with Verstappen and Mercedes?

The Mercedes contract for Valtteri Bottas expires at the end of the year. Is Max Verstappen a candidate for a place next to Lewis Hamilton?

What happened to Max Verstappen (21)? ABMS and F1-insiderr learned: Mercedes is still working for the super talent from the Netherlands. In addition, the so-called performance clauses of Verstappen's Red Bull Treaty that will actually be implemented until the end of 2021 may allow switching to "Silver Arrows" by 2020. Currently, World Cup leader Valtteri Bottas has not signed a contract yet 2020

Toto Wolff has had a good relationship with Verstappen's for many years and does not keep secret that the Dutch are the pilots that every team boss must have in his sight.

Helmut Marko (75), Red Bull Motorsport's chief consultant, recognizes the danger. Graz made Verstappen a Red Bull Jr. team Toro Rosso at age 17 for F1 drivers, and Tom Wolff (Mercedes team boss, Red.) Max's contract for the performance clause should be safe, I If they can be relieved, we are worried that he will stay even if he provides the material suitable for WM. "

This week's start was a test ride this week in Bahrain. Marco: “The test was very good and insightful. We were able to identify the race problems on the weekend and now take concrete action. Basically, more on our cars I need a downforce, "he said. This should have happened at the fifth race in Barcelona at the latest.

After two races, Red Bull Honda ranked second with 27 points behind Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas (44) and Lewis Hamilton (43). Red Bull-Honda is behind Mercedes and Ferrari, also in third place among designers. Placements can still play an important role because of the performance clauses of the Verstappens contract.

Background: Sebastian Vettel signed a similar contract when driving Red Bull in 2014. Heppenheimer had to occupy a place between the first three drivers' championships by the end of September, and then his contract with Red Bull would have been automatically extended. Not so, he could pull the exit clause and switch to Ferrari.

However, Verstappen's should be more difficult. Apparently Red Bull has learned from the past ... and Mercedes does more than just have Verstappen as an option. You can also extend Bottas's contract and promote Junior Esteban Ocon.