Mercedes might have ܫalready made contact with Max Verstappen in their search for a Lewis Hamilton replacement, says Helmut Marko.

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 means Merc𓃲edes are already busily considering how to replace the seven-time F1 champion.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc 🧸and McLaren’s Lando Norris are newly-contracted to their current🔜 teams while Verstappen is tied down long-term at Red Bull.

But Red Bul🍌l’s Marko was asked if Mercede𓂃s might try to contact Verstappen.

“I would be surprised if t𒀰hey hadn't,” he replied to .

“But Max is a very loyal driver.”

Hamilton will 🅷spend one final year at꧟ Mercedes, the team which has helped him achieve six of his seven championships.

Marko w💜as asked what he expects from Hamilton this year, after a wi🍎n-less two seasons.

“Lewis is an exceptional driver,” he replied.

“If they give him a car that is capable of winning [races] or even a World Championship, they will have to involve him until the end – and so just jump over their s💎hadow.”

Toto Wolff has insisted that Mercedes have no concerns over 🏅Hamilton’s “integrity” in his final year before moving to aꦇ direct rival.

Red Bull, meanwhile, remain F1’s team to beat a💞fter just one grand prix in 2024.

Verstappen cruised to victory in Saturday's Bahrain Grand Prix, with Sergio Per💟ez second.

Last yeaꦉr they won all-but-one grands prix - can they do i🧔t again?

“There are also route-specifi﷽c parameters,” Marko insiﷺsted.

“If you don't get pole 🙈in Monaco or Singapore, it will be difficult to win.

“That's not our goal, of course we wa༒nt to get close to this dre﷽am result, but the competition has gotten closer.

“Our goal is the championship.”

The RB20 shocke൩d much of the F1 paddock when, despite the dominance of last year’s car, it was revealed with a brave new concept.

“With all our know-how, we were able to develop 🌞a concept that was more revolutionary than evolutionary,” Marko said.

“So we ⭕could go to extremes ✃without risking it being a flop.

“In addition, the word conservative simply does not exist in the minds of our technicians around Pie🦩rrꦰe Wache and Adrian Newey - that is also part of Red Bull's DNA.

“Yes, we surprised eve🍃ryone with this car, one look at the narrow side po𒉰ds is enough.

“You can also see that the entire field, let's call it, was based on our car. So our package f𓄧its.”