"You can even bring Helmut Markó," was the invitation, which was not meant to be a joke, in the presence of journalists in the paddock of the Japanese Grand Prix.
More and more people are talking about how Mercedes wants to put an end to its recent slump in a decisive way. And this is nothing less than a star signing… Now Tom Clarkson, host of the F1 Nation podcast, has told us about what he witnessed in Suzuka:
"I spoke to many colleagues in Japan, and they all confirmed that Toto Wolff is a real fan of Max Verstappen. He makes no secret of the fact that he is using all his strength and knowledge to get his signature. Things haven't been going too well at Mercedes in recent years, but if they were to bring Max Verstappen in, it would be a really serious step forward on the road to catching up. At least that's what I think...
I overheard Toto telling Max that he was a partner in everything, if that was what was needed for his transfer, he could bring Helmut Marko with him, they would find a position for him. In this case, a real Austrian super team, on the level of Red Bull Racing or even beyond, could be created at Mercedes. It's a nice idea, but I still don't think the chance is real, and I don't think Max would sacrifice the world championship titles that could still be won..." - Clarkson mused.
