Marko believes that Mercedes’ chances of finding a potential replacement for Hamilton are extremely slim. This belief runs deep within him…

Marko firmly believes that Mercedes is facing a bleak prospect in finding a suitable replacement for Lewis Hamilton.

The strained relationship between Max Verstappen and Red Bull since 2021 has created a significant obstacle for the Silver Arrows in their pursuit of the Dutch driver. With Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari, Mercedes is now actively seeking a new teammate for George Russell.

Despite Hamilton’s recent contract renewal in Brackley, his decision to switch to Maranello for the upcoming season was influenced by two consecutive winless seasons.

The Silver Arrows are currently in the process of finding a new teammate for George Russell, as Lewis Hamilton has utilized a release clause in his contract to join Ferrari. Despite signing a new contract in Brackley just last August, Hamilton has decided to make the move to Maranello for the upcoming season after two consecutive winless years.

As a result, Carlos Sainz will take over the seat that Hamilton occupied for the past three seasons alongside Charles Leclerc. This marks the end of the most successful driver-team partnership in the history of Formula 1. With six championships, 82 victories, and 78 pole positions under his belt, the 39-year-old has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on Mercedes.

Helmut Marko believes that the tension between Max Verstappen and Mercedes still remains strong in 2021. According to Marko, Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, wants to make a move that would be appealing to Verstappen. However, Marko is convinced that Wolff has no chance of signing the 26-year-old driver.

Marko stated that it is Wolff’s responsibility as a team boss to do everything possible to secure the best drivers. However, he believes that Wolff’s past actions and the incidents at Silverstone and the Abu Dhabi finale have created a deep-rooted animosity between Verstappen and Mercedes.

If Mercedes wants to lure Verstappen away from Red Bull to replace Hamilton in 2025, they would have to make significant efforts. Verstappen is currently under contract with Red Bull until 2028 and has recently achieved remarkable success, winning 19 out of 22 Grand Prix races in the 2023 season.

The deep-rooted friction between Verstappen and Mercedes, as claimed by Marko, stems from their intense battle for the 2021 Formula 1 drivers’ championship, which ultimately favored the Dutchman in a highly controversial manner.

In a surprising turn of events, Max Verstappen clinched the Formula 1 title that Lewis Hamilton was on the verge of securing. This season marked the first time Verstappen posed a genuine threat to Hamilton’s championship aspirations, utilizing the RB16B’s strengths to assert dominance over the Mercedes driver in the early races. Verstappen’s aggressive maneuvers forced Hamilton to take evasive action, preventing potential collisions at the start of the Emilia Romagna and Spanish Grand Prix.

However, Hamilton refused to be intimidated by Verstappen’s aggressive tactics and retaliated fiercely during his home British Grand Prix. The battle between the British-born star and the Belgian native from Hasselt intensified as they fought wheel-to-wheel until Copse corner. Unfortunately, a slight loss of control caused Hamilton, who was squeezed onto the kerb, to make contact with Verstappen.