Sources say the phrase “no queue, no limit, no weekend night restrictions” was the real clincher.

BRACKLEY—The Formula 1 paddock is in chaos once again as fresh rumors swirl around a potential Verstappen-to-Mercedes deal—this time not over money, power units, or winning potential, but over unrestricted access to the team’s state-of-the-art simulator and the freedom to SIM whenever Verstappen wants, regardless of Mercedes' championship aspirations.

According to insiders, the catalyst behind this latest development wasn’t some strategic masterstroke or lucrative performance clause—it was Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff reportedly whispering, “You can SIM whenever you want. Like… whenever-whenever, Max.”

“Look, we’ve got a simulator that’s basically designed for billionaires,” said one Mercedes engineer, who asked to remain anonymous due to fear of being promoted to strategizing for George Russell. “Max got a little tour last year, and the moment he saw the adjustable motion rig and six-dozen rims, his pupils dilated like he was about to take out a McLaren.”

Verstappen, a known sim racing addict who regularly spends his downtime competing in iRacing and cursing out Dutch internet providers, was reportedly—for the first time ever—“emotionally moved” by the promise of unlimited simming.

“I think it really got to him,” said former F1 driver and sim racing skeptic Juan Pablo Montoya. “No more waiting for race day to be over. No more prioritizing Formula 1. No more Christian Horner sending late-night texts to think of the team. Just Max, the rig, and God-tier iRating.”

Toto Wolff remains tight-lipped on the speculation but was spotted leaving a Brackley simulator room with a USB stick labeled “Max settings.” When pressed for comment, he simply said, “He wants control. We offer freedom. And—let’s be honest—I don't like George that much.”

Meanwhile, Red Bull is downplaying the threat. “Max is committed to us,” said Christian Horner while standing outside Verstappen’s locked simulator room, knocking politely. “It’s time to come out, Max,” he whispered gently. “He just likes to sim. That’s all. Totally normal, not at all a sign he’s going with Toto. Do you know what ‘Toto’ means in Spanish?”

One Red Bull mechanic was less convinced. “He’s been less talkative lately,” they noted. “Last week he said he was ‘just going to the bathroom,’ but we caught him doing flying laps at Mercedes HQ. And the man brought his own rig.”

As speculation mounts, one thing is clear: in the high-stakes world of Formula 1, all it takes is a Wolff in sheep’s clothing—and the words “whenever-whenever”—to tip the balance of power.