Is Mercedes paying a hundred million for Verstappen: Nonsense or not?

On the day, the news was dominated by Christian Horner's departure from Red Bull Racing, there were also renewed speculations about Max Verstappen's future at the Austrian team. This time, the Italian Gazzetta reported that Ola Källenius, the CEO of Mercedes corporate, has authorised the recruitment of Verstappen.

According to the Italian newspaper, Toto Wolff asked Källenius for permission to spend 100 million dollars to buy out Verstappen's termination fee from Red Bull. However, GPblog understands from sources close to the scene that this is not the case at all. The rumour spread by the Gazzetta is even described as utter nonsense.

It is questionable whether Max Verstappen is still considering a move to Mercedes now that one of his wishes - the departure of Horner - has been granted. However, it is known that the four-time world champion also wants some guarantees about the sporting future of the Austrian team. By 2026, Verstappen wants to compete for the title again - something that has become impossible this year.

Mercedes is expected to have the best power unit in the entire F1 grid by 2026. If that is indeed the case, a move for Verstappen could be attractive.