Toto Wolff has accepted Max Verstappen is not going to be becoming a member of Mercedes in 2025 however says he retains an curiosity in signing the Crimson Bull driver in 2026 following summer time talks with the Dutchman’s camp.
Mercedes workforce principal Wolff has publicly courted world champion Verstappen all through the primary half of the season following Lewis Hamilton’s choice to depart for Ferrari subsequent 12 months.
Because the season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, Wolff mentioned he held discussions with Verstappen’s supervisor Raymond Vermeulen and father Jos throughout the summer time break.
“I thought all through the year that there was a window or that there was a possibility. It wasn’t zero,” Wolff advised a bunch of Dutch reporters in Zandvoort.
“It is fairly bumpy floor there nonetheless, and never just for efficiency causes, but additionally due to interpersonal points that we’re all conscious.
“By the way in which, I bought on with Jos for all my life. However perhaps as a result of we’re a bit comparable. And that is why I assumed the door was by no means utterly closed.
“What have been the percentages of that taking place? Perhaps they have been 10 to at least one. 9 to at least one. Nonetheless, I did not need to quit, however then we collectively got here to the conclusion over the summer time that we should not be ready for one thing to occur earlier than committing for 2025, however let’s simply proceed our job, Max at Crimson Bull and right here at Mercedes taking our personal driver choices.
“And that was a kind of a joint thought.”
Wolff drops main Antonelli trace
It might be inferred from Wolff’s feedback that Mercedes will now signal Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli to companion George Russell subsequent season.
There was rising hypothesis that Antonelli, who turns 18 on Sunday, will exchange Hamilton, and Wolff solely fuelled that on Friday as he momentarily talked about Russell and the Italian as his line-up for 2025.
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Kimi Antonelli secured a formidable first F2 characteristic race win on the Hungarian Grand Prix
“Soon, we will confirm who is in the second seat. And what I also said is that the two drivers that are in the car have our full support, 100 per cent,” Wolff mentioned.
“And therefore, I’m entering the season in 2025 with two drivers that we will be given all the opportunity to perform.
“And that is why I do not need to speak in regards to the 2026 driver line-up at that stage as a result of I need to make it work with George and Kimi.”
Wolff has ‘feeling’ Verstappen and Mercedes’ paths will cross
Verstappen has a contract with Crimson Bull till the tip of the 2028 season however each driver and workforce principal Christian Horner have made feedback this 12 months hinting that an earlier departure is feasible.
Crimson Bull have dominated because the sport’s design rules modified in 2022, however Mercedes are assured of returning to successful methods underneath the subsequent set of latest guidelines which can be coming in for the 2026 season.
Whereas respecting Russell and his hypothetical 2025 team-mate Antonelli, Wolff made it clear he needs to maintain the choice open to signal Verstappen sooner or later.
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Verstappen says the slower tempo Crimson Bull been working with is no surprise to him
“What I like with Max, Raymond and Jos is that we talk straight. We don’t need to push each other. We have been in this too long; we’ve taken the decision for drivers for next year. This is what our full effort is going into,” he added.
“Hopefully that’s going to be the line-up for 2026 and beyond. But that doesn’t close the door on Max being with us in 2026 or beyond, because we want to still keep all the options open in the same way he does. So what I enjoyed in our conversations is there is never a hidden agenda.
“By some means I’ve that feeling [that Mercedes and Verstappen’s paths will cross]. However I do not know when that might be. Whether or not it is ’26, whether or not it is three years’ later, I do not know but.”
Horner: Max was never available to Mercedes
Speaking to Sky Sports News earlier on Friday, Horner insisted Verstappen had never been “accessible” to Mercedes for next season.
“The scenario has been, as we have been stating all by way of the 12 months, that we all know what our settlement is with Max, Max is aware of what his settlement with us is and he is definitely not accessible to Mercedes for 2025,” Horner mentioned.
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Christian Horner says Verstappen was by no means accessible to Mercedes after the workforce confirmed curiosity within the driver for the 2025 season
“He never was. So I’m sure whatever options they choose to take, they’ve thought carefully about.”
Horner, who promoted Verstappen to Crimson Bull’s senior workforce on the age of 18, mentioned he can be keen to credit score his rival Wolff if he have been to go together with Antonelli.
He added: “If they choose to give Antonelli the seat then you’ve got to commend them for taking a risk with a youngster.”
Sky Sports activities F1’s dwell Dutch GP schedule
Saturday August 24
10.15am: Dutch GP Apply Three (session begins 10.30am)
1pm: Dutch GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: DUTCH GP QUALIFYING
4pm: F1 Academy: Race One
Sunday August 25
9.40am: F1 Academy: Race Two
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Dutch GP build-up
2pm: The DUTCH GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Dutch GP response
Formulation 1 returns after the summer time break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort this weekend, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime.
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