Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has officially closed the door on hopes of luring Max Verstappen to the Silver Arrows, now that the team’s driver line-up for the 2025 season is set in stone. With the announcement that rising star Andrea Kimi Antonelli will replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton alongside George Russell, any possibility of Verstappen switching to Mercedes before 2026 has been extinguished.
In a candid revelation, Wolff admitted to engaging in talks with Verstappen’s camp over the summer, though the conversations ultimately led to an understanding that a move was off the table until at least 2026. Despite having openly expressed his interest in the reigning F1 champion, Wolff acknowledged that both sides are now aligned in focusing on their current commitments.
“I’ve expressed my interest before, and Max and I share a similar view,” Wolff told Autosport. “You need to put full faith in your drivers and team. Only if things go really wrong would you even consider other opportunities. So, for now, I’m not ‘flirting’ with Max anymore.”
The pursuit of Verstappen led to some intrigue within the paddock, prompting Red Bull boss Christian Horner to imply that his team was keeping tabs on George Russell as a possible future target. However, Wolff has firmly shut down any speculation regarding Russell’s future, insisting that the Briton is an integral part of Mercedes’ long-term vision.
“George has been with us since his karting days and was the first Mercedes junior to join the team,” Wolff explained. “We don’t differentiate between him and Antonelli emotionally. Both receive the same level of support from the team.”
With the 2025 driver line-up confirmed, Wolff expressed confidence that Russell would thrive alongside Antonelli, who comes with significant expectations as one of the sport’s most promising young talents. “George has been competing against Lewis Hamilton, the greatest of all time, for three years. He’ll be fine facing off against Antonelli,” Wolff stated.
While Wolff and Mercedes appear content with their future line-up, Verstappen remains contracted to Red Bull through 2028, making any potential move to another team a distant possibility. For now, the Dutchman remains firmly entrenched with the Milton Keynes squad, while Mercedes looks ahead to a new chapter with Russell and Antonelli leading the charge.
As for the future, Wolff remains pragmatic: “Only if we’re looking for a change would we consider talking again. But for now, we’re fully committed to what we’ve got.”
READ MORE: Helmut Marko rules out Red Bull pursuing George Russell for a future F1 move.
