Formula 1: Max Verstappen to Mercedes rumors heat up once again

Rumors about Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull Racing for Mercedes had calmed down for several weeks, but they have now begun to heat up again.

Last month, Red Bull Racing team manager Helmut Marko stated that Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen, Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport team principal and CEO Toto Wolff have discussed the possibility of Max driving for Mercedes beginning in the 2020 Formula 1 season.

Verstappen reportedly has a performance clause in his contract, a three-year contract extension that he signed in October of 2017 to continue driving for the Milton Keynes-based team through the 2020 season, that would allow him to leave the team after the 2019 season if they do not produce a car that is capable of winning the championship.

Wolff, Jos and Max all laughed off these rumors.

However, after it appeared as though losing the 21-year-old Dutchman was the least of Red Bull Racing’s concerns, these rumors have begun to heat up again after another claim by Marko and the way Jos reacted to this claim.

Here is what Marko had to say about the matter, according to Express.

"“Of course I am [worried Verstappen could leave]. At the moment there is only one car that is winning and it is Mercedes. We have taken a step backwards even though our performance is better.”"

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Jos, who rarely tweets, retweeted the La Gazzetta dello Sport article that originally featured this quote, although he has since un-retweeted it.

Mercedes have won each of the 2019 season’s first seven races and are now on a nine-race winning streak going back to last season. In fact, Max is the most recent non-Mercedes driver to win a Formula 1 race, as he won the Mexican Grand Prix late last October.

Last July, Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas signed a one-year contract extension that contains an additional one-year option, so the Brackley-based team could very well seek to replace him after the 2019 season ends.

Max, however, is not fazed by these rumors. Here is what he had to say about the matter, according to Planet F1.

"“I am the driver, not my father. I’m enjoying myself but of course we all know that we need to do better. But I believe in the project that we are in with Honda, we’re working hard now to try to step up the performance.”"

Through the first one-third of the 21-race season, Verstappen sits in fourth place in the driver standings. He is currently on a 16-race streak of top five finishes going back to last season, and he has recorded two podium finishes, both third place finishes, so far this season. His average finishing position in 2019 is 3.86. Red Bull Racing, meanwhile, sit in third in the constructor standings.

Will Max Verstappen be a Red Bull Racing driver for the fifth consecutive Formula 1 season next year, or will he leave the team to drive for Mercedes?