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 oꩲf those drivers, speculation is rife that Verstappen could leave Red Bull and Mercedes are an obvious fit.

Vowles believes ꦗthat 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 time,” Vowles explained.

“But if you just look at the steps he’s making in qualifying, he’s making♓ steps every single w💃eek. He’s only driven, effectively, four grand prix races.

“He’s on a go🌳od pathway to be very, very competitive. So you ꦓkeep investing in that.

“And George is deliverin🐠g. He’s been a bit quiet but you can’t really fault anything he’ဣs done this year.

“S⭕o can you add a tiny bit more performance? Yes, throughℱ Max.

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

“Japan was, for me, jaw-dropꦜping. Well done to him.

“But he co🐼mes with a lot of downsides as well that we have to🥃 acknowledge.

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

“So I pers💝onally don’t think that’s the place for him.”

Verstappen enteཧrs this weekend’s F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with his Red Bull future under th♕e microscope.

Helmut Marko admitted ♛Red B𒉰ull could lose their star man unless they give him a more competitive car.

Verstappen snapped bღack in the pre-event press confereꦐnce when asked aboutꦗ Marko’s words and the possibility he could quit Red Bull.

The key contenders to sign 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 reacted 🦄positively ไto 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:Asꦆton Martin would table a ‘deal of the century’ to sign Verstappen for huge sums of money.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had previouꦓslyᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ dismissed the likelihood of such a bombshell move.