Red Bull’s Horner No Mercedes Deal for Verstappen

Horner Confirms: Verstappen Not Eyeing Mercedes Move

23/08/2024

Horner dispels rumors, affirming Verstappen’s commitment to Red Bull, not Mercedes.

Red Bull Team Director Christian Horner has stressed that Max Verstappen was “certainly not available for Mercedes F1” for the upcoming season, quashing rumours linking the Dutch driver to the Silver Arrows.

Ever since Lewis Hamilton’s multi-year contract with Ferrari for the next season was announced, speculation had connected Verstappen with Mercedes F1 amidst scandal surrounding Horner and Red Bull.

However, it now appears confirmed that Mercedes will appoint Andrea Kimi Antonelli, as we reported a few days ago.

“The situation is as we’ve stated all year, we know what our arrangement with Max is, Max knows what his arrangement with us is,” Horner responds when asked if Wolff has stopped pursuing Verstappen’s camp.

“He is certainly not available for Mercedes for 2025, he never was. I’m sure whatever options they’re considering, they’ve thought them through carefully, and if they choose to hand the wheel to Antonelli, they should be applauded for taking a risk with a young driver.”

As we reported, Antonelli is expected to be announced as the incumbent at his home race in Monza next week, where he will drive in Free Practice 1 in place of one of the regular drivers.

Red Bull’s Horner: No Mercedes Deal for Verstappen Red Bull’s Horner: No Mercedes Deal for Verstappen

F1 CALENDAR 2025
Race
Date
Australian Flag
Australian
Albert Park
16 Mar
Chinese Flag
Chinese
Shanghai International
23 Mar
Japanese Flag
Japanese
Suzuka Circuit
6 Apr
Bahrain Flag
Bahrain
Sakhir desert
13 Apr
Saudi Arabia Flag
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street
20 Apr

2025 Australian Grand Prix Grid

Lando Norris
1
LANDO
NORRIS
1:15.096
Oscar Piastri
2
OSCAR
PIASTRI
1:15.180
Max Verstappen
3
MAX
VERSTAPPEN
1:15.481
George Russell
4
GEORGE
RUSSELL
1:15.546
Yuki Tsunoda
5
YUKI
TSUNODA
1:15.670
Alex Albon
6
ALEX
ALBON
1:15.737
Charles Leclerc
7
CHARLES
LECLERC
1:15.755
Lewis Hamilton
8
LEWIS
HAMILTON
1:15.973
Pierre Gasly
9
PIERRE
GASLY
1:15.980
Carlos Sainz
10
CARLOS
SAINZ
1:16.062
Isack Hadjar
11
ISACK
HADJAR
1:16.175
Fernando Alonso
12
FERNANDO
ALONSO
1:16.453
Lance Stroll
13
LANCE
STROLL
1:16.483
Jack Doohan
14
JACK
DOOHAN
1:16.863
Gabriel Bortoleto
15
GABRIEL
BORTOLETO
1:17.520
Kimi Antonelli
16
KIMI
ANTONELLI
1:16.525
Nico Hulkenberg
17
NICO
HULKENBERG
1:16.579
Liam Lawson
18
LIAM
LAWSON
1:17.094
Esteban Ocon
19
ESTEBAN
OCON
1:17.147
Oliver Bearman
20
OLIVER
BEARMAN
000
Race Center
Australia Flag
Australian GP
13 Mar - 16 Mar
FP1
14 MAR 01:30
FP2
14 MAR 05:00
FP3
15 MAR 01:30
QU
15 MAR 05:00
RACE
16 MAR 04:00
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