Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has always admired Max Verstappen. While he’s very fond of George Russell, Verstappen remains the ultimate goal. As long as there’s even a slight chance of signing the Dutchman, he’ll always be Wolff’s first choice. Everything else is just background noise. Mercedes wrapped up the United States Grand Prix weekend with a decent haul of points, though not an exceptional one. The team’s focus now shifts to Mexico, where they aim to return to the fight at the front.
Russell has the crystal ball, but can’t quite read it right
George Russell recently signed a new deal with Mercedes — a two-season contract (1+1) that includes a mutual release clause. Things didn’t go as planned in Texas, as the W16’s performance fell short of the team’s expectations. Starting from fourth place, Russell predicted after the first corner that he would finish in the same position, believing overtaking would be nearly impossible on this circuit.
His reasoning was linked to tyre wear, which naturally increases when running in dirty air behind another car. And indeed, his forecast wasn’t too far off the mark. Being blocked by Lando Norris at the start allowed Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri to overtake him — two cars that, according to Russell, might have finished behind him without that early setback.
However, analysis suggests things wouldn’t have gone quite that way. Both McLaren and Ferrari showed stronger pace and higher top speed, enough to overtake Russell’s Mercedes W16. The combination of Austin’s high temperatures and a setup that wasn’t quite perfect made the Silver Arrows less competitive this time. Once again, the balance between aerodynamics and mechanical grip played a decisive role.
Antonelli unlucky, already focused on Mexico
The disappointing note of the weekend was Kimi Antonelli’s result — finishing outside the points. The consistency seen in recent races was missing, though this time the young Italian couldn’t be blamed. As Antonelli explained, the situation was rather clear: Carlos Sainz made a mistake and hit the rear of his car, effectively ruining his race.
The Mercedes driver detailed the incident, saying he had tried to avoid contact by taking a wider line, but Sainz’s front lock-up made the collision inevitable. The impact slightly bent Antonelli’s car, compromising its balance and making it difficult to drive for the remainder of the race. Despite that, his pace remained respectable throughout the Grand Prix.
Racing in dirty air, however, severely reduced his performance. Without that contact, and considering his starting position, Antonelli could have scored valuable points. His pace on the Medium tyres was clearly better than on the Softs, which suffered from greater thermal degradation. Still, Kimi remains optimistic and is already focused on delivering a stronger result in Mexico.
Wolff won’t stop dreaming of Verstappen
Toto Wolff also shared his thoughts on the United States Grand Prix — but, unsurprisingly, what caught everyone’s attention was once again his admiration for Max Verstappen. The Austrian’s reasoning was clear and consistent: when it comes to crucial battles under pressure, Verstappen always manages to stay composed and precise. It’s a trait that distinguishes champions from the rest, and one Wolff clearly values.
He pointed out how even Lando Norris showed caution when trying to overtake Charles Leclerc — a sign of how thin the line can be between glory and disaster in modern Formula 1. One wrong move, and a bold manoeuvre can instantly turn into a fatal mistake. Verstappen, however, excels in handling these fine margins, maximizing every situation and optimizing his starting position — a crucial factor at this decisive stage of the championship where every point matters.
Toto Wolff once again praised MaxVerstappen, describing him as a phenomenal driver and undoubtedly the most in-form competitor on the grid. He highlighted the perfect synergy between Verstappen’s extraordinary talent and Red Bull’s flawless execution. Despite keeping Russell in the team, it’s clear that Toto Wolff’s gaze remains fixed on one target — Max Verstappen.
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