Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes came close to signing up F1 rookie sensation Max Verstappen. Ultimately, the 16-year-old Dutchman and his father-manager Jos went with Red Bull's famous driver programme, after Dr Helmut Marko promised him a race seat for 2015 at Toro Rosso.
"We had several meetings with Jos and Max," Wolff, Mercedes' motor sport chief, confirmed to the German newspaper Bild. "He is certainly a great talent, but we would not and could not guarantee him a seat with us in formula one. So I advised them to accept the offer from Red Bull," Wolff confirmed.
Verstappen's signing at a very young age - before he even qualifies for a license to drive a road car - is controversial and it will be a big talking point throughout the Belgian GP weekend. But F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi thinks the talented Dutchman can be ready for his record-breaking 2015 debut. "Today, with all the electronic help, young drivers with talent are able to go very fast right off the bat," he told Brazil's Globo.
"Last year I had the chance to drive a new Lotus and the car is really well balanced. The drivers also have a very large support team around them. I am good friends with Franz Tost, he has worked with the drivers who later went to Red Bull like Vettel and Ricciardo, so I trust him a lot," Fittipaldi added. (GMM)
Mercedes couldn't guarantee F1 seat for Max Verstappen
- Published on 21 Aug 2014 14:03
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
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Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
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Jan 27
M. Verstappen
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
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Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
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Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
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Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Red Bull Racing
- Points 3,557
- Podiums 131
- Grand Prix 245
- Country NL
- Date of b. Sep 30 1997 (28)
- Place of b. Hasselt (Belgie), NL
- Weight 70 kg
- Length 1.8 m
- 843,043 comments on Red Bull Racing
983 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Max Verstappen
Team profile
- Team name Lotus F1
- Base Enstone, United Kingdom
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Romain Grosjean 10
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 65,124 comments on Lotus F1
- 17 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Lotus F1
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