Mercedes trying to poach Max Verstappen to replace Lewis Hamilton does not bother Helmut Marko - "Toto is going to try, but will not be successful”

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has predicted that Mercedes would make a futile attempt to lure Max Verstappen away from Milton-Keynes in the future.

As the racing world received the shocking news of Lewis Hamilton's unforeseen departure from Mercedes, the impact of this move continues to reverberate through the paddocks.

In the lead-up to the 2024 season, Hamilton, a seven-time F1 World Champion, made the shocking decision to join Ferrari on a high-profile deal in 2025, bringing an end to his iconic partnership with Mercedes.The German outfit now have a mammoth task at hand – to fill the void that would be left by Hamilton's departure at the end of the season.

However, amidst discussions surrounding Mercedes' second driver in 2025, Helmut Marko, Red Bull's director and head of the driver development program, has chimed in with an interesting take.

The 80-year-old recently spoke to sport.de, where he predicted that the team's attempts to lure Max Verstappen away from Red Bull would prove futile. Marko stated:

"Toto is going to try, but he will not be successful."

Hinting at the controversial 2021 F1 season finale which saw Lewis Hamilton miss out on his eighth championship, Marko said:

"Max has a good memory and has not forgotten Mercedes' accusations. The 2021 Silverstone crash and the Abu Dhabi season finale are examples of this."

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Former F1 World Champion praises Max Verstappen's attitude

Alain Prost, a former four-time F1 World Champion, recently praised Max Verstappen's distinctive attitude and approach to the sport. Speaking to motorsports.com, he said:

"I like him very much because he’s a little bit different in the way he thinks and speaks. Even in Las Vegas he was focused on racing and winning. People can like him or not, but at least you must recognise you are not obliged to have the same approach."

Prost highlighted Verstappen's authenticity, commending the driver for openly expressing his opinions. He stated:

"For me it’s good to see a driver like him. I was very pleased to listen to what he also said about not liking the sprint races. At least he says what he thinks and is not afraid by the political game. I like that."

Max Verstappen won his third straight world championship in 2023. The Dutchman also helped Red Bull secure their second straight Constructors' Championship.