OK so Max is a very good driver with the car tailored to him but I wonder how he would fair in a Merc? If I were Toto getting Max might sound good but coming with his dad might not be that appealing. Jos just destabilises things. I'm not sure Max is a great fit for Merc, OK so he is popular and a very good driver but his in car and media personality can't be that great for marketing can it? That said, with Red Bull haemorrhaging staff and if Merc can pull Max away they are taking out a competitive team for a few years.
The Jos part, I definitely get, but Toto has been pretty clear that he’d like Max - so unless you believe that was all to destabilise the competition and not real, I think he’s prepared to have/negotiate the baggage that comes with him. I’m not sure Mercedes F1 is the straight jacket you’d expect based on the car company’s image. They hired Schumacher with his reputation, Hamilton wasn’t perceived as exactly a clean driver when he was hired and definitely found Merc a less constrained environment than McLaren under Ron. I think the marketable personality thing is overblown, it’s not done e.g. Alonso, Raikonnen any harm and Verstappen in the British/English speaking press vs. Verstappen globally is another factor. All signs suggest to me that they’re prepared to reach an accommodation with Verstappen to get his performance/stop someone else getting it.
They should have probably pulled the trigger to try retain Newey and push Marko out the door at the same time. I hope he doesn't go to Ferrari, I'd hate to have to dislike the team, but he's bound to show up elsewhere though because love him or other, he certainly built a massively successful team
If there’s one thing I am pleased about in all this , it’s the Promotion of Alan Permane . Quite ironic that after Briatore sacked Permaine , it was Horner who said how good Permaine was , and that he would not be out of work long . I know it’s Miekes that has replaced Horner , but it has enabled Permaine promotion .
