Mercedes have been advised not to sign 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen due to “downsides” he would bring.

That is the sage advice of James Vowles, who was strategy advisor in an esteemed era for 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Mercedes before becoming Williams team principal.

Vowles saw the potential first-hand of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Andrea Kimi Antonelli as he was coming through the ranks, and also worked with 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell.

Despite the form of those drivers, specu𝕴lation is ꦡrife that Verstappen could leave Red Bull and Mercedes are an obvious fit.

Vowles believes ♓that despite Verstappen’s undoubted ability, there are negative connotations for Mercedes to consider too.

Mercedes told not to sign Max Verstappen

“With Kimi, yes 🍸I’m biased because I worked with him for a long period of tꦺime,” Vowles explained.

“But if you just look at the steps he’s making in qualifying, he’s making steps every s♔ingle week. He’s only driven, effectively, four grand prix rac🥂es.

“He’s ಞon a good pathway to be very, very competitive. So you keep investing in that.

“And George is deliveri♑ng. He’s been a bit quiet but you can’t rꦰeally fault anything he’s done this year.

“So can you add a tiny bit more pe♎rformance? Yes,🔴 through Max.

“I think🉐 there is more performance to be had through Max, and I don’t think anyone in the room would deny he is extraordinary in what he can do.

“Jap🅷an was, for me, jaw-dropping. Well done to him.

“But he comes with a lot of downsides as wel൩l that we have to ack𒉰nowledge.

“I think what Mercedes does have is a great culture with two drꦿivers that are delivering near to the peak of the car and with one that is on the way up.

“So I persoꦏnally don’t think that’s the place for him.”

Verstappen enters this weekend’s F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with h🤪is Red Bull f꧅uture under the microscope.

Helmut Marko admitted Red Bull could lose their star man unless they give him a m💃ore competitive car.

Veဣrstappen snapped back in the pre-event press conference when asked about Marko’s words and the possibility he coul🌟d quit Red Bull.

The key contenders to s🍒ign him are Mercedes and Aston Martin.

Russell, who clashed with Verstappen last year, is reportedly in talks over a new Mercedes contract which adds another layer of intrigue. He r🐓eacted positively to Verstappen’s links to Mercedes.

But a twist came on Friday after a report out of Italy that 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Aston Martin would table a ‘deal of ༒the century’ to sign Verstappen for huge sums of money.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had previousl⛦y dismiss🌺ed the likelihood of such a bombshell move.