Wolff Isn’t Giving Up: “Verstappen? Who Knows About the Future”
The Wolff-Verstappen saga, which saw its most intriguing developments mid-season and seemed settled with Max Verstappen’s recent loyalty pledge to Red Bull (at least until 2026), appears far from over, promising further twists in the future.
The persistent pursuit of the four-time world champion by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is far from finished. In fact, Wolff’s own words make it clear that the future remains open: “Who can know what will happen in the future?”
The Austrian manager has never hidden that he has been chasing Verstappen since 2014, when Helmut Marko offered the young Dutch driver an immediate promotion to Formula 1. That opportunity went to Red Bull, which would go on to build a triumphant story with Max. Today, with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari and Mercedes undergoing a period of restructuring, the idea of seeing the Orange champion at Brackley remains tantalizing.
Speaking to the media in Zandvoort, Wolff explained: “Max will have his reasons to stay at Red Bull. He said he owes it to them. You don’t leave at the first opportunity when the team is not performing. It goes beyond the contract. I believe things went as they should today, but who can know what will happen in the future? The integrity he has shown to the team and that which I and the team show to our drivers is what matters.”
This long-standing interest has slightly unsettled Mercedes internally, but Wolff has always been transparent, keeping George Russell and Kimi Antonelli informed about the evaluations underway: “It is my duty as team principal to explore what a four-time world champion might do in the future. Any team would say that Max is probably the best of his generation. Every team wants the best. Sometimes you can’t get him immediately; sometimes you have to wait or develop him.”
The Austrian admits that no formal negotiation has ever taken place: “We were never in the situation of ‘okay, let’s do it.’ Not on my side, nor on his. It was more a question: does it make sense for Mercedes? Does it make sense for Verstappen? Our paths may never cross, but they could also align.”
A “strange” certainty
Toto Wolff hints that 2027 could be the decisive year, when it will become clear who best interprets the new technical regulations: “We might find ourselves racing together if it is right for both parties. Or maybe not. It’s fifty-fifty.”
When suggested that waiting could be advantageous, given that Mercedes is currently considered the team most comfortable with the new rules, Toto Wolff responded with humor: “I hope it will be us. That way I would only have to pay 10%! But I think for top drivers, money is not the main goal. It’s having a car and a team capable of winning world championships. Then comes the debate on compensation, but if the stars align, a solution is always found.”
In short, Toto Wolff continues to think about Max Verstappen, and even if the present favors Red Bull, the Austrian manager is convinced that something could change in the immediate future, potentially shaping it in his favor.
Leave a Reply