Max Verstappen has said that he prefers to win as many titles as possible amidst speculation linking him with a seat at Mercedes.
The Dutchman is the brightest youngster on the grid today, something even veteran Fernando Alonso agrees to. However, he is yet to win a WDC with Red Bull.
Mercedes is linked with Verstappen, with a move for him after his contract expires on the cards. The Dutchman’s statements don’t completely dismiss these links either. Mercedes has won every WDC of the last few years, and Verstappen could be tempted to make the switch.
Speaking about his Red Bull future, Verstappen said, “It depends on how long we are competitive and how long I am competitive myself, of course. Winning motivates me, or rather just the chance to win. I would prefer to win as many titles as possible, but that depends on the package.”
“Sometimes you are lucky and it is good for longer periods and sometimes you aren’t lucky. Hopefully, I will win some titles, but you never know,” he concluded.
His words suggest he has a passion for winning titles. If Red Bull can’t provide that, they may lose him to their title rivals.
No plans for overstaying welcome
Verstappen also doesn’t want to continue racing into his sporting twilight. Former World Champion Kimi Raikkonen, for example, continues to race for Alfa Romeo despite turning forty. This is something Max doesn’t want. He wants to win a few titles and leave at his peak.
“I want to keep racing as long as I feel like it. Then at some point, I’ll be done with it. Of course, it is a completely different story if you are fighting for the top positions. If I were to drive at the back, then there would come a time when I wouldn’t feel like doing it.”
With Verstappen outlining his plans for racing, he may want to move to a team that is always the favourite to win titles. That team, for better or worse, is Mercedes at the moment. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Verstappen, and if Red Bull can take the fight to Mercedes and keep him.
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