Max Verstappen has ‘a lot downsides’ and Mercedes should not ditch their current driver line-up to accommodate the four-time world champion, according to Williams team principal James Vowles.
Instead Vowles backed George Russell and Kimi Antonelli as the pairing best fitting the Silver Arrows’ culture.
Heading into Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, there has been renewed conjecture that Verstappen is considering leaving Red Bull ahead of 2028. The Dutch driver has played down the speculation, saying he is ‘relaxed’ where he is.
But the rumour mill continues unabated. And asked if a Russell/Verstappen team would work, Vowles said: ‘I don’t think so, no.
‘So, can you add a tiny bit more performance (beyond Russell)? Yes, through Max. I don’t think anyone in the world would deny that he is extraordinary in what he can do.
‘And his victory in Japan a few weeks ago was for me jaw-dropping. Well done to him but he comes with a lot of downsides that you have to acknowledge.
Max Verstappen has been linked with a move away from Red Bull amid the constructors recent struggles
Mercedes new driver line-up of youngster Kimi Antonelli (left) and George Russell (right) looks to have set the team up for the future
In his previous job as motorsport strategy director at Mercedes, Williams team principal James Vowles worked with both Russell and Antonelli
In his previous job as motorsport strategy director at Mercedes, Vowles worked with both Russell and Antonelli.
He added: ‘Mercedes have a great culture with two drivers that are delivering near to the peak of the car and with one that’s on the way up so I don’t think that’s a place for Max.
‘He and George are very different characters. I am not Toto (Wolff, Mercedes team principal), but I think he has got a really good driver line-up for the future. Kimi – and yes, I worked with him for a long time – but if you look at the steps he is making in qualifying, steps he is making every single week, and he’s only driven effectively four grands prix.
‘He’s on a good pathway to be very, very competitive, so you keep investing in that.
‘And George is delivering. He can’t really be faulted. I mean he’s been a bit quiet, but you can’t really fault anything he’s done this year.’
Russell’s contract is due to expire this year, as is Antonelli’s, but both the 27-year-old Englishman and the 18-year-old Italian are confident they will be kept on. They have impresses so far, the senior man taking three podiums and the younger showing flashes of his promise.
Verstappen, meanwhile, has again been linked with Aston Martin. Red Bull, for their part, do not expect Verstappen to exploit potential performance clauses to release him from his contract, though motorsport adviser Helmet Marko admitted the Dutchman’s future was a ‘great concern’ following last weekend’s disappointing performance in Bahrain, where he finished sixth.