Mercedes came close to signing young Dutchman Max Verstappen but ultimately advised he would be better off with Red Bull, according to Toto Wolff. The 16-year-old will make his Formula 1 debut next season with a full-time race seat with Red Bull's junior team, Toro Rosso. The promise of a race seat prompted Wolff to end Mercedes' negotiations with Verstappen and his father-manager Jos and they were unable to offer something similar. "We had several meetings with Jos and Max," Wolff confirmed to Bild. "He is certainly a great talent, but we would not and could not guarantee him a seat with us in Formula 1. "So I advised them to accept the offer from Red Bull."...
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