The best pole position for Verstappen at Silverstone

With McLaren's current record of eight wins out of a possible eleven, the Formula 1 World Championship is as much about what happens on the track as what can happen off it. And in this fiction, which in some cases later becomes reality, the current world champion continues to rule. Max Verstappen may not be enough to challenge Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the title fight. The Dutchman isn't even assured of third place in the championship, and recent races suggest that Red Bull's deficit to the papaya car is around half a second per lap. And despite that, the media spotlight upon arriving at each circuit is focused on him and his future, legally linked until 2028 to the Milton Keynes team, with which he has won the last four titles.

Mercedes ' interest, which when he was a youngster didn't dare to bet as much as Red Bull, has remained latent in recent years. But that push has gained even more strength now that the Milton Keynes team is proving unable to give its flagship driver a car with which to challenge McLaren. Between this, the split of the energy company, which gained momentum with the scandal involving Christian Horner, its director, at the beginning of last season; and the uncertainty surrounding the 2026 project, with the departure of Honda as the engine manufacturer and the arrival of Ford; the stability of a brand like Mercedes gains significant strength as a lure. The fact that George Russell, the current spearhead of the star brand, has still not renewed the agreement that expires at the end of this year adds a little more spice to the matter.

Until now, Verstappen had been extremely blunt whenever asked about a possible change of scenery. This week, his response was much more tepid than Red Bull would have liked. "Is there any truth to the reports that my representatives have spoken with Toto Wolff [Mercedes director]? The truth is, I'm not going to add anything more to what I said a few days ago. I have a contract with a team and my goal is to focus on improving the performance of the car," replied Mad Max , which did little to quell all the noise that has always surrounded him. Those conversations between his agent, Raymond Vermeulen, and Wolff have taken place. It remains to be seen whether they are simply for consultation or to arrange a medium-term deal, or to entice him with a view to 2026.

“Obviously, there are a lot of people talking about it,” said Horner, who sees Wolf as more than just a counterpart or a rival, but rather a sort of arch-enemy. “We're all very clear about what role we play. Max has been with Red Bull since the beginning of his career. All his success has come with our cars. He's an important part of our team. He has a lot of faith in himself and the people around him,” added the Briton, who was ironic when referring to the Silver Arrows: “It's very significant that George is still on the market.”

Despite having three more seasons on his contract with the Red Buffalo team, he also holds the key to the market. If he makes a move, he'll cause a schism. And, given his way of filtering reality, the solution to this issue that keeps the paddock tense lies in the clock: at Silverstone, this Sunday (4:00 p.m., Dazn). Yesterday, Verstappen once again made it clear why Mercedes would give everything for him by taking his fourth pole of the season, when no one expected it and, once again, driving far beyond the capabilities of his car. Fernando Alonso finished ninth, but will start seventh due to various penalties, while Carlos Sainz was just short of the final round of qualifying.