Formula 1: Why Max Verstappen to Ferrari in 2021 is not as far-fetched as it seems

Whether he did so intentionally or not, Max Verstappen ignited a rumor that he could leave Red Bull Racing for Ferrari ahead of the 2021 Formula 1 season. Here’s why this rumor is not as far-fetched as it seems.

Speaking about Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, the winner of the last two Formula 1 races who entered the month of September winless in his Formula 1 career, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen made an interesting claim.

The 21-year-old Dutchman stated that he and the 21-year-old Monegasque could work well with one another at the same team, igniting a rumor that he could drive for Ferrari in 2021.

Here is what Verstappen said, according to Grand PR News.

"“Charles and I could get along at the same team. We both want to win, but we respect each other. I won’t deny that there could be conflicts, but it wouldn’t be like [Lewis] Hamilton and [Nico] Rosberg at Mercedes.”"

Verstappen’s claim comes after he was recently confirmed at Red Bull Racing for the 2020 season.

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His contract, which he signed in October of 2017, runs through the 2020 season, but it contained a performance exit clause that would have allowed him to leave after the 2019 season. According to team manager Helmut Marko, however, he was unable to trigger this clause.

Had he been able to trigger it, it was speculated that he would end up driving for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. Amid those rumors, Lewis Hamilton made a similar claim to the one that Verstappen made about Leclerc, about Verstappen.

With Valtteri Bottas having just been confirmed alongside Hamilton for the 2020 season, Mercedes could very well end up with an open seat for Verstappen for the 2021 season.

But the Verstappen to Ferrari rumor is nowhere near as far-fetched as it seems.

Next year, it won’t be about whether or not Verstappen can get out of his contract with Red Bull Racing; it will be about whether he signs a contract extension with the team or leaves and signs elsewhere.

That “elsewhere” could be Ferrari.

After Leclerc signed his contract to replace Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari (one year ago yesterday) beginning in the 2018 season, it was reported that this deal was a four-year contract that runs through the 2022 season. That is not believed to have changed, especially given the success that he has had in his first season driving for the Italian team.

But as for Leclerc’s teammate, the 2020 season could end up being his sixth and final season driving for the Prancing Horse.

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel signed a three-year contract extension with Ferrari in August of 2017. His most recent victory came just one year later, to the day, and he is now on a win drought of over one full year.

This win drought has contained several instances of the 32-year-old German making crucial mistakes, and he was making these kinds of mistakes leading up to this win drought as well. In fact, factoring in all the points that he lost and Hamilton gained last season as a result of his errors, he cost himself what would have been his fifth championship.

The problem for Ferrari is that there really isn’t a clear heir apparent to the four-time world champion.

That is, unless Verstappen becomes available.

Verstappen is committed to Red Bull Racing’s Honda project, which began this season after they ended their 12-year relationship with Renault as their engine manufacturer. Red Bull Racing have made progress in what has been a season of resurgence for the Japanese manufacturer, but they are still not yet on a championship level.

Their goal has been to be on a championship level by the 2020 season. If they don’t attain that goal, it’s hard to see Verstappen sticking around, especially with him not having to a rely on any kind of performance clause to get him to another team.

He is ready to compete for titles, and Ferrari would be a step up for him.

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Max Verstappen was rumored to join Ferrari a few seasons ago, but nothing ever came to fruition. However, the possibility of him driving for the team in the 2021 Formula 1 season is not as far-fetched as it seems.

One of the main reasons why Mercedes brought back Valtteri Bottas for the 2020 season was to keep Lewis Hamilton happy. If Hamilton stays with the Silver Arrows for the 2021 season, which he likely will as he pursues Michael Schumacher’s championships record, Bottas should return as well.

Couple a potentially full Mercedes lineup with the possibility of Red Bull Racing continuing to struggle, and there’s a chance that Formula 1 could end up with a 23-year-old Verstappen wearing red on Sundays.

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