[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by Artemis

The most significant is perhaps the analysis by ex-Mercedes motorsport director Norbert Haug (71): The Pforzheimer, who headed Mercedes' racing activities from 1990 to 2012 after his career as a journalist, is actually not known for comparing drivers. He therefore surprised F1-Insider.com with his personal conclusion. Haug: “I have been involved in Formula 1 for almost 50 years now and have experienced the era of Niki Lauda, ​​Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. But none of them were as dominant as Max Verstappen.”"

Sure, but it’s the extremely rare confluence of variables. A perfect storm of sorts. And neither variable by itself or a combination of all but one would’ve yielded the same results. An exceptional driver, an exceptional car, an exceptional car that suits said exceptional driver’s skills, regulations that suit both exceptional car designer and driver, a perfectly weak second driver, and the rest of the field caught flat-footed with the new regulations.

Verstappen in a Ferrari, or Hamilton or Leclerc or Alonso in the Red Bull, or Newey (and Verstappen?) going to Mercedes, pick any promising permutation, no, no and no, would not be as dominant. Victorious ? Perhaps. Dominant ? No.

We’re witnessing the stuff of legend. Enjoy it. It’s coming to an end soon.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Artemis

The German magazine F1-Insider.com is usually well-informed.

You have to ask yourself with MAX's main aim of hauling in wins would he really want to go to a team like Merc who have an appalling car now and with the senior techs they have lost to teams like RBR it is hard to imagine an instant turn around or indeed longer term if hypothetically MAX did go to Merc.
He has said that Merc has lots of money, fine, but so do Red Bull and winning nearly all the time so don't you think MV would want some reassurance or proof that Merc would even be competitive with a supposedly better PU/hybrid starting in '26 and a chassis that can't be changed with a magic wand.
A nice looking cake is for nothing if the filling is sour.

[3798j]

With Max's desire to go GT3 endurance racing, 150m euros helps...a good start for him to have his own team.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by 3798j

With Max's desire to go GT3 endurance racing, 150m euros helps...a good start for him to have his own team.

If Merc knows he wants to do that then they won't be so keen flashing the cash?

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Artemis

BBC confirmed that "information has been independently verified by BBC Sport with high-level sources close to Red Bull and Newey".



Enforceability of Newey's non-compete clause(s) depends on how it was worded (likely a contract between Newey's management company and RBR instead of with Newey personally). It can be renegotiated. Money talks, wealth whispers.

And if, further to some valid exit/escape clause, Newey can leave RBR by the end of this season no-strings-attached, RBR will no longer be able to use his services from that moment onwards, regardless Newey's future professional activities or retirement from the F1 world: Red Bull Racing will be left to its own devices.


Unlikely that RBR will consider 'gardening leave' for Newey - they want his assistance till the very last day of his contract.

A toxic can have a slow poisoning effect. Newey calls it a day. "Si tous les dégoutés s'en vont, il n'y a que les dégoutants qui restent.".

Meanwhile in Italy.....

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Apart from Verstappen, Vermeulen, Wolff, Källenius and Ratcliffe, also Jos Verstappen is told to attend the rumored crucial meeting to be held someday during the first half of next month (between the Miami GP and the Imola GP).

A long-term contract, the highest ever annual salary package (up to 150 million, is whispered), brand ambassador for Mercedes, Helmut Marko acceptable as consultant, some high-level RBR engineers acceptable to come over too, etc. If true, then it seems that 'the powers that be' at Mercedes are very determined to get Max on their side, and by doing so, to weaken RBR both on-track and off-track.

Let's wait and see if a Max-Merc move truly materializes.

Yes . Toto Wolff offered (a bait)! to MAX with a $150Million Mercedes contract !
$150Million ?!?!
That's another F1 Record (the Dutch article) => https://www.gpfans.com/nl/f1-nieuws/...aan-te-bieden/

I'm pretty sure , MAX won't take Wolff's bait !

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yes . Toto Wolff offered (a bait)! to MAX with a $150Million Mercedes contract !
$150Million ?!?!
That's another F1 Record (the Dutch article) => https://www.gpfans.com/nl/f1-nieuws/...aan-te-bieden/

I'm pretty sure , MAX won't take Wolff's bait !

Poison ivy.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Poison ivy.

Wolff would sell his own underpants to get MAX at Mercedes !

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Meanwhile in Italy.....

''God bless you young girls but I'm getting on a bit to keep this up for much longer'

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yes . Toto Wolff offered (a bait)! to MAX with a $150Million Mercedes contract !
$150Million ?!?!
That's another F1 Record (the Dutch article) => https://www.gpfans.com/nl/f1-nieuws/...aan-te-bieden/

I'm pretty sure , MAX won't take Wolff's bait !

I don't think MAX is going anywhere anytime soon, not if he wants to keep winning
https://racingnews365.com/horner-aff...26-f1-decision

[Killed by Death]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Wolff would sell his own underpants to get MAX at Mercedes !

FTFY

Wolff would sell his own pink panties to get MAX at Mercedes !

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

FTFY

Wolff would sell his own pink panties to get MAX at Mercedes !

Great job my good friend ! Well done ...

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

''God bless you young girls but I'm getting on a bit to keep this up for much longer'

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti

RB: Adrian, are you leaving?
Newey: Not that I know of.
RB: Ok, meeting concluded

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Wolff would sell his own underpants to get MAX at Mercedes !

Cuckoo Wolff should use his brain more to get his cars to be more competitive and look after his present drivers than throw blank cheques trying to coerce people out of other teams.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yes . Toto Wolff offered (a bait)! to MAX with a $150Million Mercedes contract !
$150Million ?!?!
That's another F1 Record (the Dutch article) => https://www.gpfans.com/nl/f1-nieuws/...aan-te-bieden/

I'm pretty sure , MAX won't take Wolff's bait !

Was just watching Round 2 on the Severn Valley Stages of the the British Rally championship, the highlights being on ITV 4 and Jos had a tough time understandably, this all being new to him struggling with punctures and the appalling weather on gravel/mud stages.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

RB: Adrian, are you leaving?
Newey: Not that I know of.
RB: Ok, meeting concluded

Horner taking a sabatical for the rest of the season to think things over, would be a good start.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Horner taking a sabatical for the rest of the season to think things over, would be a good start.

More chance of Sargeant winning a race.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

More chance of Sargeant winning a race.

Mathematically speaking, there is a chance.

"One Of The Craziest Races, Retold By Those In It | F1 Revisits: Monaco '96": see here

"1996 Monaco Grand Prix: Race Highlights": see here

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Mathematically speaking, there is a chance.

"One Of The Craziest Races, Retold By Those In It | F1 Revisits: Monaco '96": see here

"1996 Monaco Grand Prix: Race Highlights": see here

Attachment 3444785

As soon as I saw 1996 Monaco I thought Panis...and I won't say what the brits called him but you could say he lost his pants celebrating on that podium with the Monaconian royalty, never seen anyone quite so happy haha.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by 3798j

With Max's desire to go GT3 endurance racing, 150m euros helps...a good start for him to have his own team.

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Toto Wolff offered (a bait)! to MAX with a $150Million Mercedes contract !
$150Million ?!?!
That's another F1 Record (the Dutch article) => https://www.gpfans.com/nl/f1-nieuws/...aan-te-bieden/

€150 million is what Verstappen may pocket including bonuses if he meets all maximum targets (WDC & WCC) - not the fixed salary.

Getting Sainz to fill the vacated Mercedes seat would cost Mercedes only a fraction of what they are prepared to put on the table for Verstappen.

Hence, even if Verstappen would decide to stay at RBR, it shows the exceptionally high esteem of the powers that be at Mercedes for Verstappen's F1 racing skills and of his potential to achieve top results with a Mercedes car. Also, if Verstappen drives for Mercedes, he cannot win for Red Bull Racing anymore (WDC/WCC). So that'd be Mercedes hitting two birds with one stone.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Artemis

€150 million is what Verstappen may pocket including bonuses if he meets all maximum targets (WDC & WCC) - not the fixed salary.

Getting Sainz to fill the vacated Mercedes seat would cost Mercedes only a fraction of what they are prepared to put on the table for Verstappen.

Hence, even if Verstappen would decide to stay at RBR, it shows the exceptionally high esteem of the powers that be at Mercedes for Verstappen's F1 racing skills and of his potential to achieve top results with a Mercedes car. Also, if Verstappen drives for Mercedes, he cannot win for Red Bull Racing anymore (WDC/WCC). So that'd be Mercedes hitting two birds with one stone.

Sure, but on the other hand...

MAX : I never raced for the money , I always race just to win .
IMHO : That's what we can see about MAX.