Formula 1: ‘Max to Mercedes. Confirmed’, per source

On the day of the United States Grand Prix, the Mercedes Formula 1 team announced on Twitter that “Max to Mercedes” has been confirmed.

A few years ago, it may not have been a foregone conclusion, but where things currently stand — plus the fact that even his current contract runs through the 2023 Formula 1 season — Max Verstappen appears set to stay at Red Bull for the duration of his career, or at the very least, close to it.

Following Sunday’s United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, a race that saw Verstappen win after holding off a hard-charging Lewis Hamilton on eight-lap older tires, the 24-year-old Dutchman leads the world championship standings by 12 points over his Mercedes rival (287.5 to 275.5).

A Hamilton win (plus fastest lap) would have seen Hamilton turn a six-point Verstappen pre-race lead into a two-point Hamilton lead.

But before what was one of their most intense battles (among the clean ones, that is) in terms of strategy and on-track performance with one another not only during the 2021 season but over the course of their competing against one another in Formula 1, Mercedes had a little fun with Verstappen and Red Bull on Twitter.

Spotted at or around the 20-turn, 3.427-mile (5.515-kilometer) road course in Austin, Texas was a Mercedes vehicle — but with “Red Bull” text written on the side, plus a Verstappen “33” toward the back.

So naturally, the team “confirmed” Max.

https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/1452275092344475654

Of course, this inevitably led to the reemergence of the famous (or is it infamous?) Toto Wolff/Red Bull image — one of them, that is — from many years ago.

https://twitter.com/AJ3/status/1452276693717200903

For those who may be new to Formula 1, Wolff is the team principal and CEO of the Mercedes team, and he holds a one-third stake in the outfit following a major move that took place last offseason.

While it won’t be Verstappen, there is, in fact, set to be a new arrival at Mercedes next year, and that is George Russell. The current Williams driver is set to replace the Alfa Romeo-bound Valtteri Bottas alongside Hamilton in 2022.

It’s always great to see the teams having fun with one another in a goofy sort of way away from the race track, especially amid one of the greatest and most intense world championship battles that Formula 1 has ever seen featuring two of the greatest drivers to ever compete.