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

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 means Mercedes are already busily considering how to repl🤪ace the seven-time ♔F1 champion.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris are newly-contracted to their current teams while Verstappen iܫs tied down long-term at Red꧙ Bull.

But Red Bull’s Markไo was asked if Mercedes might try to contact Verstappen.

“I would be surprised if they 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 championsh𒅌ips.

Marko was asked what he expects from Hamilton this year, after a win-less two 𝓰seasons.

“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 shadow.”

T꧃oto Wolff has insiste🔯d that Mercedes have no concerns over Hamilton’s “integrity” in his final year before moving to a direct rival.

Red Bull, meanwhile, remain F1’s team tꦚo beat after just one grand prix in 2024.

Verstappen cruised to vict📖ory in Saturday's Bahrain Grand Prix, with Sergio Perez second.

Last year they won all💖-but-one grands prix - can they do it again?

“ౠTh𝔉ere are also route-specific parameters,” Marko insisted.

“If you d♛on't get pole ജin Monaco or Singapore, it will be difficult to win.

“That's not our goal, of course we want to get close to this dream result, but the com💃petition has gotten closer.

“Our goal is the championship.”

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

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

“So we could go to extremes without risking it being a flo🍸p.

“In addition, the word conservative simply does not exist in the m💯inds of our technicians around Pierre Wache and Adrian Newey - that is also part of Red Bull's DNA.

“Yes, we surprised everyone with this car, one ♓look at the narrow side pods is e🌜nough.

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