F1 champion tips Verstappen to replace Hamilton at Mercedes despite Red Bull commitment

Former Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg has tipped Red Bull star Max Verstappen to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, despite Verstappen having made a verbal commitment to his current team.

Verstappen's long-term future with Red Bull has been called into question ever since Hamilton's announcement that he will join Ferrari, despite the Dutchman being contracted with the reigning constructors' world champions until 2028.

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Recently, Verstappen even verbally committed his future to the team in an FIA press conference.

However, Mercedes have been sniffing around Verstappen's availability, with Toto Wolff naming him as his number-one target to replace Hamilton, who will depart the team at the end of 2024.

Will Max Verstappen join Mercedes?

Despite the clear rivalry that still exists between Mercedes and Red Bull following the bitter championship battle between Verstappen and Hamilton in 2021, 2016 Formula 1 world champion and former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg believes that there is a good chance Verstappen will still join the Brackley squad.

The now retired driver, speaking at the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, told Sky Germany: "If Max Verstappen, who is one of the top 5 drivers of all time, is available you have to take him straight away,"

"And my gut feeling, from what I hear here, is that there is a more than 50% chance that he will make the switch to Mercedes.

"You also hear that with the engine development at Mercedes, especially for the new 2026 regulations, they really have a head start and that is of course also crucial.

"That was Mercedes' big advantage back then, too, in my time, simply much more power than everyone else. That could be the case again. So yes, there is a big, good chance that that will happen."

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