Ralf Schumacher: Behind the Scenes with Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen

Red Bull is currently the fourth-strongest team in the Formula 1 championship, and rumors about the future of four-time world champion Max Verstappen are mounting, as is his dissatisfaction with the Austrian team. According to former German driver Ralf Schumacher, Mercedes has already made a preemptive move by extending an offer to the Dutch star: “There’s no room for Max at Ferrari, but we’re hearing rumors that Toto Wolff has made him an offer, in private,” he told Sky.

“Apparently, the offer was so financially unfavorable that it wasn’t even an option,” Schumacher added. “I think it was intentional—why would Toto Wolff ever take on such an expensive driver as Max to pair him with Kimi Antonelli, the future F1 superstar? It would make absolutely no sense to put Kimi at risk.”

According to Schumacher, Antonelli has secured the Mercedes seat, and his recent retirement in Barcelona hasn’t changed the reality: the driver from Bologna is the new superstar. “Kimi has proven to be faster. Kimi is number one at Mercedes. George has to settle for the second role; that’s clear by now.”

“That’s why it wouldn’t make sense to sign Verstappen,” concluded the former German driver. “At that point, he’d have two drivers on the team fighting each other, and Wolff knows that feeling all too well from the Rosberg and Hamilton era. And above all, it would put Kimi in a difficult position. So it makes absolutely no sense.”