The Official F1 2025 silly season *contains speculation*

[thegreenhell]

MartG said:

Rumours that Toto is looking at Max...

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mercedes-wont-r...

Personally I don't think you'd get Max out of Red Bull while there's even a chance of another championship with them

I don't think Toto was the initiator there. It was more like Jos trying to set up his threat to pull Max out of RB if Horner stays, so he could say he's been talking to other teams.

[paulguitar]

thegreenhell said:

MartG said:

Rumours that Toto is looking at Max...

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mercedes-wont-r...

Personally I don't think you'd get Max out of Red Bull while there's even a chance of another championship with them

I don't think Toto was the initiator there. It was more like Jos trying to set up his threat to pull Max out of RB if Horner stays, so he could say he's been talking to other teams.

Verstappen would be a lunatic to leave his current situation unless he gets bored of doing no racing.

[Hustle_]

thegreenhell said:

Hustle_ said:

Kart16 said:

Hustle_ said:

Kart16 said:

Drugovich is better than Poorchair and Bearman by a considerable margin.

...based on..?

Based on Drugovich big points advantage over both Pourchaire and Bearman, even though they both were on the best teams and Drugo in a humble MP.

Were they in the same year though or are you comparing year 1 drivers to drivers in their 2nd or 3rd year?

Rookie Pourchaire beat 2nd year Drugovich in 2021.
3rd year Drugovich beat 2nd year Pourchaire in 2022.

Hardly definitive.

Thanks. Bearman also an F2 rookie in 2023.

So Drugovich has at least a season's head start on all of these drivers. Drugo 23 years of age, Pourchaire 20, Bearman 18...

[RB Will]

paulguitar said:

Verstappen would be a lunatic to leave his current situation unless he gets bored of doing no racing.

Not often we agree but 100% with you there. Max needs RB way more than RB needs Max right now. If Jos pulls Max out of RB this season There would surely be a right old bun fight over who gets his seat. Reckon Alonso would be happiest to burn as many bridges as possible soonest to get in that seat. Maybe Sainz, or Albon or Danny too. Any would work and be champion.
Cant make my mind up if Lewis would go to RB out of principle but could he turn down a guaranteed championship? Think Lando too might be a bit too loyal to Zac to jump ship too.

Max needs to bin off Jos ASAP. Only reason I can see not to is if Jos holds some career ending bomb over Max.

[thegreenhell]

paulguitar said:

thegreenhell said:

MartG said:

Rumours that Toto is looking at Max...

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mercedes-wont-r...

Personally I don't think you'd get Max out of Red Bull while there's even a chance of another championship with them

I don't think Toto was the initiator there. It was more like Jos trying to set up his threat to pull Max out of RB if Horner stays, so he could say he's been talking to other teams.

Verstappen would be a lunatic to leave his current situation unless he gets bored of doing no racing.

Of course, and I think it was just an empty threat as part of the power-play against Horner. But you never can tell with Jos.

[cuprabob]

It would be worth seeing Max in the Merc, just to annoy George.

[Muzzer79]

RB Will said:

Max needs to bin off Jos ASAP. Only reason I can see not to is if Jos holds some career ending bomb over Max.

How does one "bin off" one's own father?

Jos isn't going anywhere.

And I suspect Max isn't either. Jos' conversations with Mercedes are just designed to put the wind up Red Bull. Wolff will know this too, but will still exploit the opportunity.

[vaud]

RB Will said:

If Jos pulls Max out of RB this season

He's not even Max's manager.

[Deesee]

Flávio spotted with the Horners at the weekend.. Enstone takeover?

[Still Mulling]

I reckon Alpine will be for sale by the end of the season.

[Deesee]

Just get Max in the other Ferrari seat..

[vaud]

Still Mulling said:

I reckon Alpine will be for sale by the end of the season.

Possibly. The problem with Alpine is the board don't seem to like the truth in terms of just how hard it is to make big advances in F1, especially with an engine down on power.

[Deesee]

vaud said:

Still Mulling said:

I reckon Alpine will be for sale by the end of the season.

Possibly. The problem with Alpine is the board don't seem to like the truth in terms of just how hard it is to make big advances in F1, especially with an engine down on power.

2026 they all start again with the PU. TBF they have gone somewhat backwards, look at vs HASS for example. Alpine were 4th in 2022.

[Muzzer79]

Still Mulling said:

I reckon Alpine will be for sale by the end of the season.

I'd be surprised if that were the case because the value will have dropped from relatively recently and I can't see the consortium who invested heavily into Alpine last year (including Ryan Reynolds, Rory McIlroy, Anthony Joshua, amongst others) would be happy taking a loss.

[vaud]

Muzzer79 said:

I'd be surprised if that were the case because the value will have dropped from relatively recently and I can't see the consortium who invested heavily into Alpine last year (including Ryan Reynolds, Rory McIlroy, Anthony Joshua, amongst others) would be happy taking a loss.

Given F1's reluctance to allow new teams, I suspect the valuation is still pretty healthy, regardless of their current performance - you are buying the slot.

[RB Will]

vaud said:

RB Will said:

If Jos pulls Max out of RB this season

He's not even Max's manager.

Oh I know he isn't contractually, just there are a lot of people currently talking like Jos is basically Max's puppet master and he will do whatever he is told.

Muzzer79 said:

How does one "bin off" one's own father?

Jos isn't going anywhere.

And I suspect Max isn't either. Jos' conversations with Mercedes are just designed to put the wind up Red Bull. Wolff will know this too, but will still exploit the opportunity.

I've been close to it a few times, not fully binned him off but have got him to considerably step back from our family business when he got a bit old and cranky. Lewis also managed to detach from his dad for the sake of his career and they still get along.

Would like to think with a normal loving father you could say Dad, thanks for all your support and getting me this far, but I'd like to carry on on my own now. By all means keep coming to the races but just chill and enjoy the hospitality, see the sights a little. Though not sure Jos is that sort of father. Something for Max to figure out, he knows him better than anyone.

[vaud]

RB Will said:

Would like to think with a normal loving father you could say Dad, thanks for all your support and getting me this far, but I'd like to carry on on my own now. By all means keep coming to the races but just chill and enjoy the hospitality, see the sights a little. Though not sure Jos is that sort of father. Something for Max to figure out, he knows him better than anyone.

Or do what Lewis did and have a clean break.

[Forester1965]

Deesee said:

Flávio spotted with the Horners at the weekend.. Enstone takeover?

He's Alonso's manager. I doubt Alonso would have a problem taking Verstappen's seat next year.

[thegreenhell]

I think Lewis' situation was slightly different in that he was actually managed by his dad. He was able to get a new manager and still have his dad around for support, whereas Jos doesn't manage Max but just acts as his unofficial spokesman/minder. Max basically just needs to tell him to keep his trap shut.

[MrBig]

thegreenhell said:

Max basically just needs to tell him to keep his trap shut.

Absolutely this. Max's career is being cast under shadow by Verstappen seniors behaviour and not for the first time. I'm not a massive fan of Max as a person, but it would be very wrong for an exceptionally impressive career in F1 to be ruined by his father who obviously has some unresolved psychological issues.