Verstappen and his virtual drive in a Mercedes car: this was Helmut Marko's reaction

Speaking to OE24, Marko was asked about Verstappen’s participation in an iRacing event, where he was seen driving a Mercedes F1 car. According to the Austrian, it wasn’t a deliberate choice — it was simply the only Formula 1 model available in the game.

"I didn't catch that. But why shouldn't he do it?", Marko responded. "Max drives an Aston Martin, a Ferrari, and an Audi on public roads. So, it doesn’t matter if he also drives a Mercedes", the 82-year-old Austrian added.

Verstappen's virtual choice once again fueled the rumor mill about a possible future move to Mercedes. According to Marko, however, there is no truth to this: "He might well be in talks, but there are no current developments.''

The four-time world champion is under contract with Red Bull Racing until the end of 2028, although the deal does include exit clauses.

However, Marko isn’t concerned — at present, there’s no clause that could be triggered: “That's absolutely right", he says when this question is asked.