Max Verstappen reveals that he and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff don’t have problems anymore, he has forgotten the declination from Wolf in the past.
The Dutchman says Mercedes had a chance to sign him before but they didn’t, and now Mercedes is aiming for him for the 2025 seat, as Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton moves to Ferrari.
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Max Verstappen, the top driver in F1 right now and undisputedly the best since 2021, clinching his first-ever title and aims for his fourth in 2024.
Consequently, the Mercedes boss thinks he’ll be the perfect driver to fill Hamilton’s shoes and win races with them.
Since 2021, F1 has showcased the fierce rivalry between Mercedes and Red Bull as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton went toe-to-toe to win the championship.
However the race ended in Verstappen’s favour, with Mercedes not happy as they believe Max broke the rules and won by cheating.
Let’s explore more about What factors could have influenced Max Verstappen’s decision to forgive Toto Wolff?
Moving Past Rejection, Max Verstappen Forgives Toto Wolff
The current gap in pace between Red Bull and Mercedes has essentially reduced their previous rivalry.
Wolff’s team has won just a single Grand Prix in the past two seasons, which is a big change from the intense competition of 2021.
Back then, tensions between the two teams were high as Verstappen battled Lewis Hamilton for the title.
The end of that season still divides the sport. Verstappen won his first world crown after a controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Mercedes protested against FIA race director Michael Masi’s safety car procedure, but they lost the verdict and dropped their intention to appeal.
But surprisingly, there are now rumors linking Mercedes with a move for Verstappen due to the unrest at Red Bull.
A female staff member has accused Red Bull’s Team principal Christian Horner of inappropriate behavior.
Verstappen has given Wolff a chance of hope in his pursuit by explaining that he has moved on from previous disagreements.
Max Verstappen’s Words For Wolff and His Mercedes
“Look, a few years ago there was of course a little more tension between us and Mercedes, I would like to say a little more, yes,” he told De Limburger.
But that can all be forgiven and forgotten. That’s true on both sides.”
The Dutchman also said he could ‘understand’ why Wolff wanted to get him on board, but then implied he was unlikely to move to a team currently struggling.
But he also claimed that Mercedes have had a previous opportunity to sign him as a teenager, one they unintentionally missed.
“But that (forgiving Wolff) doesn’t mean I think I should be driving somewhere else right now,” he added. “In addition, Mercedes does not have the fastest car at the moment, that really is the Red Bull.
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“In the past, even before Red Bull, we had discussions with Mercedes. Back then they said: ‘You have to do this and that to become successful’. I think I have now shown how it should be done. They want me in that car, I understand that.”
Verstappen has won three of the four Grand Prix thus far in 2024, his retirement in Australia the only blot on his copybook.
He’ll head to China next week with speculation continuing over his future, but will also be favourite to prevail again in Shanghai.
Gaurang is a writer at the SportsOrbit covering articles related to F1,Gaurang was 14 when he cared more about playing football than studying. But when COVID hit and he had to stay home, he discovered Formula 1. It immediately caught his interest. Since then, he’s been really into Formula 1, watching every race and learning all about it. He still loves football, but now he’s also a big fan of Formula 1, especially Lewis Hamilton. Even though he loves racing, he still looks up to Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol.