It's strategic for Mercedes to keep Red Bull off the top step as often as possible this year, and especially Max. Has nothing to do with Lewis' whining, although Hamilton will have the most to benefit from any 2021 investment on behalf of MB.
If Verstappen has the ejection seat clause in his contract as was rumoured last year, then Red Bull needs to keep investing to give him a competitive car, or risk losing him. It does not matter how good the 2022 car is (and frankly, given the tire windows we've seen in the current development and the fact that so much is changing next year, everything in 2022 is a crap shoot), it is useless without Max in the driver's seat. So RBR and MB both recognize that 2021 is critical to Red Bull's retention of the Dutch driver. Horner will try as hard to keep him, as Wolfe will to get him to leave.
Oh, and it is no surprise that there will be an empty seat at Mercedes after this year. Toto seems in no rush to promise that place to the heir apparent, Russell. So, watch this space!!!
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