How appealing a Mercedes drive might be to Verstappen will depend on the package they can put together for him. Verstappen does not come without baggage. For one thing, he is very expensive. His Red Bull salary is said to be about $75m (£55m). And that's before endorsements and other add-ons. Red Bull don't have to justify that spend to anyone. They are a private company. But it might not be so easy for Mercedes, as a corporate entity, to justify that sort of outlay on a racing driver, even if he is the best in the world. And if they can't, would Verstappen be prepared to take a pay cut to drive a potentially more competitive car? Then there is the question of image. Verstappen is a controversial character who takes things to the edge of acceptability - and sometimes beyond - on track. From time to time, he does things that Mercedes might not feel comfortable being associated with their brand - think back two races to his collision with Russell in Spain, or to Mexico last year, when his driving against Norris earned him two 10-second penalties. Verstappen is also very much his own man, who says and does what he wants. He's smart and usually toes the company line. But just as with his on-track behaviour, every now and again he decides he wants to say his piece in a way that a more corporate environment might not find so acceptable. He also demands that the team operates for him. It's hard to imagine Verstappen, for example, agreeing to accept the sort of team-first philosophy operated by McLaren with Norris and Oscar Piastri. Williams team principal James Vowles, who was a central part of Mercedes' F1 management structure before taking on his new role in 2023, touched on this when he was asked about the prospect of Verstappen moving to Mercedes earlier this year. "Can you add a tiny bit more performance? Yes through Max," Vowles said. "I think there is more performance to be added through Max. "I don't think anyone in the room would deny that he is extraordinary in what he can do. But he comes with a lot of downsides as well that we have to acknowledge. "And I think what Mercedes does have is a great culture with two drivers that are delivering near to the peak of the car and with one that's on the way up. So I personally don't think there's a place for him."