Max Verstappen has reportedly turned down an initial approach from Mercedes after being underwhelmed by the proposal put to him.
Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher made the claim on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, suggesting the offer was never serious given how low it was for a four-time world champion.
Toto Wolff has long been linked with an interest in signing Verstappen, but Schumacher suggests the Mercedes boss has since cooled on the idea significantly.
Schumacher believes the underwhelming offer was deliberate, with Wolff reportedly wanting to avoid creating internal conflict at Mercedes between two top-level drivers.
“I think it was done on purpose,” Schumacher explained. “Why bring in an expensive driver like Max Verstappen alongside Kimi Antonelli, who is already seen as the team’s rising star?”
Schumacher drew a direct parallel to the bitter rivalry that played out between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during their years together at Mercedes, which ultimately tore the team apart internally.
“That would pit two top drivers against each other and Wolff knows all too well from the Hamilton-Rosberg days how problematic that can be,” Schumacher added during the podcast.
The former F1 driver also warned that signing Verstappen could actively harm Antonelli’s development and standing within the team going forward.
“You don’t want to create that kind of situation,” Schumacher said. “It could jeopardise Kimi Antonelli’s progress and position within the team. From Mercedes’ perspective, it just doesn’t make sense.”
However, Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, pushed back firmly against Schumacher’s account, taking to Instagram to publicly deny the claims.
Jos Verstappen wrote on Instagram: “Ralf, again you bring wrong information,” dismissing the suggestion that any meaningful offer had been made or rejected.
The backdrop to all of this centres on Verstappen’s current contract with Red Bull, which runs until 2028 but contains a performance-related exit clause tied to his championship standings.
Last week, Verstappen reportedly travelled to Austria for talks with Red Bull’s management amid ongoing speculation about his future with the team.
Verstappen himself played down the visit, saying he would personally break any news if something significant did emerge, keeping the paddock guessing about his long-term plans.