Mercedes have been advised not to sign 168澳洲5最新开奖结果: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5最新开奖结果:Mercedes before becoming Williams team principal.

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

Despite the form of those drivers, speculation is rife that Ve💯rstappen could leave Red Bull and Mercedes are an obvious fit.

Vowles believes that despite Verstappen’s undoubted abili⭕ty, 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 lo♍ng period of time,” Vowles explained.

“But if you just look at the steps he’s making in qualifying, he’s making steps every single week. He’s only driven, effectively, four grand prix ra♑ces.

“He’s on a good pathway to be very, very competitive. So you keep investing💮 𝔍in that.

“And George is delivering. He’s been a bit quiet but you can’t really fa♛ult anything he’s done this year.

“So can you add a tiny bit more pe🔥rform💖ance? Yes, through Max.

“I think there is more performance to be hadꦫ through 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-dropp𒁏ing. Well done to him.

“But he comes with a lot of downsides as well that we have t🧸o acknowledge.

“I think what Mercedes does have i꧙s a great culture with two drivers that are delivering near to the pe🥃ak of the car and with one that is on the way up.

“So I personally don’t think that’s the pl﷽ace for hi൲m.”

Verstappen enters this weekend’s F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with🏅 𝔉his Red Bull future under the microscope.

Helmut Maജrko admitted Red Bull could lose their star man unless they give him a more competitive car.

Verstappen snapped back in the pre-event pr🧸ess conference when asked about Marko’s🍬 words and the possibility heꦫ could quit Red Bull.

The key co🍃ntenders 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 positivelyꦅ to Verstappe﷽n’s links to Mercedes.

But a twist came on Friday after a report out of Italy that 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Aston Martin would ta🅘🐎ble a ‘deal of the century’ to sign Verstappen for huge sums of money.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had previously dismissed the likelihoo🅠d of such a bombshell move.