Red Bull chief makes concerning Max Verstappen comment as Mercedes try to steal star

Red Bull's Helmut Marko has admitted "Max Verstappen is our greatest asset" as Mercedes try to steal the Dutchman away from their Formula One rivals - making it clear how big the void would be should he leave. The Silver Arrows have been eyeing the four-time world champion, with George Russell potentially making way should the reigning title-holder. Despite the overtures from Mercedes, Red Bull are confident their leading driver will remain loyal, even as Verstappen sidestepped queries on his future at Silverstone.

For Marko, who is Verstappen's most trusted confidant in F1 aside from his father Jos and manager Raymond Vermeulen, keeping the 27-year-old is paramount. The veteran special advisor stated: "Max is our greatest asset. We have achieved most of our successes in recent years mainly thanks to him."

Mercedes missed out on signing Verstappen during his teenage years when he chose Red Bull over Toto Wolff, enticed by the promise of a faster track to F1 stardom.

Marko, known for his hard-to-please nature, was immediately taken with Verstappen during their initial encounter in 2014. He reminisced: "Max was not nervous at all. He had prepared well, knew how many cans of Red Bull sold worldwide and that kind of stuff. An older mind in a young body."

Verstappen's first contract with Red Bull was inked in "some coffee shop at Dusseldorf airport". All subsequent agreements have been hammered out and agreed upon in Marko's office, located in one of his hotels in Graz, Austria.

This includes his current deal, signed in early 2022 following Verstappen's inaugural title triumph, which extends until the close of 2028 and is valued at approximately £55million annually, prior to bonuses.

However, with Red Bull seemingly on a downward trajectory and McLaren now reigning supreme on the F1 grid, there are similarities to the narrative of the team's other four-time champion. Sebastian Vettel departed in 2014, believing Ferrari would provide him with a greater opportunity for further success, but Marko maintains that Verstappen's present situation "is different".

He added: "At that time it was clear that we could not win, with a Renault engine. Sergio Marchionne was then the boss of Ferrari and a real racer. I remember him coming up to me after Max's first win in Barcelona in 2016. He said, 'Your boy is really something special.'"

Red Bull are developing their own engines for 2026, with Mercedes predicted to best adapt to the new regulations, as they did in 2014 when hybrids were initially introduced. This could influence Verstappen's decision, but Marko insists there is no proof that the Silver Arrows will be any better off.

Verstappen said: "Everyone is talking about next year's engines and yes, we have our own model for the first time. Nobody has proof that Mercedes has next year's best [power unit]. It's not just about the combustion engine, but also battery and petrol. Who knows? Our engine might just be competitive."

Team principal Christian Horner weighed in on Friday, expressing optimism about the team's prospects with its new power unit: "To expect us to be ahead of Mercedes next year is... it would be embarrassing for Mercedes if we were, or for any manufacturer."