Toto Wolff is ready to offer Max Verstappen something he refused to offer Lewis Hamilton in order to sign him for Mercedes.
- Max Verstappen is Toto Wolff’s preferred replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Considering the quality disparity, it might be challenging to convince the Dutchman to switch from Red Bull to Mercedes at this time. Wolff is therefore prepared to make Verstappen an offer that, prior to Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari, he would not have even made.
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Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’s romance came to an end when the British driver declared he would be joining Ferrari for the upcoming season. Max Verstappen is the team’s priority replacement, as team principal Toto Wolff has made clear, given the significant void in Mercedes’ driver lineup.
Wolff will need to overcome Verstappen, though, as the Red Bull team has won the last three World Drivers’ Championships in a row for him. With 19 victories out of 22 races on the schedule, the RB19 car from the previous season had one of the most dominant records in Formula One history.
Mercedes has had the opposite pattern, as Red Bull, following the 2022 rule revisions, has had a boom in success. Now trailing Red Bull by 71 points in the Constructors’ Championship, the Silver Arrows are in fourth place.
Max Verstappen’s Offer from Mercedes: Verstappen is ready to accept what they turned down from Hamilton.
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Wolff has forced to turn to long-term incentives to entice Verstappen. The Dutchman would receive a huge salary from the Mercedes boss if he accepted his offer of an “advertising ambassador contract,” which would last well after the three-time world champion retires.Considering that Mercedes REJECTED Hamilton’s request for a similar arrangement the previous year, this action seems remarkable. According to the Daily Mail, Mercedes rejected Hamilton’s £200 million, 10-year offer.
With a pay increase to £45 million, Verstappen became the highest-paid Formula One driver of the year. This surpassed Hamilton, who will receive a £40 million salary in 2024. Even though Verstappen is paid more, Mercedes shouldn’t have any trouble covering his wage-related requests.
