Dutch journalist reports Max Verstappen is no longer an option for Mercedes for 2025

A report claims that Mercedes have stopped chasing three-time world champion Max Verstappen for 2025. It is speculated that the Silver Arrows will soon announce their junior driver Kimi Antonelli as their future permanent F1 driver alongside George Russell.

A recent report from De Telegraaf, written by Dutch journalist Eric Van Haren, claims that Mercedes have stopped chasing Max Verstappen as a potential Lewis Hamilton replacement. The report also claimed that in the coming weeks, The Brackley-based team could announce Kimi Antonelli

Ever since Ferrari announced that they have hired Lewis Hamilton for 2025, Mercedes has been on the hunt for a competent driver who can lead the team forward alongside Russell. In the past, reports connected the team with several drivers like Carlos Sainz, Kimi Antonelli, and even Max Verstappen.

When Carlos Sainz officially signed with Williams after the Belgian GP, it left the three-time world champion from Red Bull and Mercedes' own junior driver on their shopping list.

Back when Red Bull was experiencing a lot of internal turmoil during their team principal Christian Horner's investigation, rumors emerged that Verstappen could leave the Austrian team.

Amid all this, Mercedes' team boss Toto Wolff was also seen meeting with Max's father, Jos Verstappen at the Bahrain GP. This fueled even more speculation. Wolff himself has attempted to convince the Dutchman to join the Silver Arrows.

As of now, the Silver Arrows have not yet confirmed their future driver lineup.

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Former Red Bull driver reckons both Mercedes and Aston Martin could chase Max Verstappen

In a recent post on his LinkedIn page, Former Red Bull F1 driver Robert Doornbos opined that Max Verstappen could be chased by both Mercedes and Aston Martin.

He wrote that Verstappen has a strong connection with Mercedes, but feels that the Silver Arrows could also announce Kimi Antonelli in Monza during the Italian GP.

He then gave his own opinion that Verstappen could move to Mercedes but also added that Aston Martin's CEO, Lawrence Stroll, would flex his financial muscle to pull the three-time world champion toward his team.

"Max Verstappen’s relationship with Mercedes remains strong. Mercedes has an open seat for 2025, and it’s likely that during the Monza weekend, they’ll announce that Kimi Antonelli will get the chance to debut in Formula 1 alongside George Russell. I still believe Max will join Mercedes in 2026, although Aston Martin will do everything to sway him, sparing no expense," Doornbos wrote.

As of now, Max Verstappen has a long-term contract with Red Bull till 2028. The Dutch driver currently leads the drivers' championship table with 277 points. In 2024, however, he is facing intense competition from other rivals such as Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Oscar Piastri.