Mercedes, fresh off George Russell’s victory in Canada and Kimi Antonelli’s third-place finish, continues to dominate the driver market conversation. While Russell’s contract renewal has yet to be finalized, Max Verstappen’s name has once again emerged as a possibility. Team principal Toto Wolff addressed the topic during Friday’s press conference at the Red Bull Ring, reaffirming his trust in Mercedes’ current driver lineup without fully ruling out a move for the four-time world champion.
Wolff: “We need to shield Antonelli from external pressure”
Antonelli’s strong start to the season peaked with his first career podium in Canada after a well-executed race. According to Toto Wolff, this result closed a chapter that began with the painful crash during FP1 at Monza in 2024, when the young Italian made his official F1 debut: “The most important thing is that his development trajectory continues in a positive direction. Looking back at last year, putting him in the car at Monza wasn’t the smartest decision — placing so much pressure on him, and then the crash, is something that stays with you. I think with the podium now, he can shake that off and say: ‘I’ve proven I can be fast.’ All year we gave him the space to explore, to grow, to push when he felt comfortable with the car. That’s exactly what you expect from a driver who could become a champion one day.”
Antonelli’s strong performances have increased media attention, particularly in Italy, as seen during the Emilia Romagna GP weekend. Wolff urged caution and warned against inflating expectations: “Italy has gone a long time without a driver on the grid or one winning championships. So the excitement is massive. When major media outlets start calling Kimi a legend after one podium, that doesn’t help. In such a passionate country, elevating an 18-year-old to legendary status so quickly is dangerous. We need to protect him more and more from everyone who wants something from him.”
The Mercedes boss added: “It starts with fans wanting selfies — which is great, better than the opposite. But then there are many people involved in his racing career who now expect something in return. I think when too much pressure surrounds an 18-year-old driver, it can hurt his development. He already has enough pressure in the car, racing alongside Russell and driving a Mercedes that can win. If all that external pressure keeps building, we really need to protect him from it. And that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Russell contract talks and the Verstappen temptation
Russell stirred the market by saying in Austria that “it’s normal to have conversations involving names like Verstappen.” The idea of Verstappen joining Mercedes resurfaces periodically, and Wolff used the press conference to reiterate his appreciation for Russell: “He’s been part of our program for around ten years. He’s always met the expectations we set for him and continues to do so. We haven’t given him a title-contending car in the last three years — that’s our fault. When the car was good, he won races. That said, for some reason, contract talks always get sped up by the media or a lack of information. These discussions aren’t public forums. Everything is going according to plan — George should be at the top of the list because he’s a race winner with us, a Mercedes junior, and has been with the team for a long time.”
Responding to Russell’s comments about Mercedes possibly negotiating with Verstappen, Wolff added: “We’re entering a space I don’t want to discuss publicly. People talk, but the most important thing is that we’re transparent within our organization. That doesn’t change my opinion of George or his abilities. I appreciate what he says, and I’m always on his side. Clearly, we have to evaluate what the future holds, but that doesn’t change anything I’ve said about George or Kimi — I’m very happy with the driver pairing we have. I just want these conversations to happen behind closed doors, not in public. We have two drivers who’ve been with our program for a long time, and I’m fully happy with them — they’ll continue to grow and shape the team’s future. So the situation is a bit different.”
Toto Wolff didn’t rule out the idea that a potential Russell-Verstappen pairing — despite their lack of mutual affection — could work and even offer advantages: “I had Rosberg and Hamilton fighting for world championships, so everything else is easier. There are pros and cons to having two drivers battling each other. We’ve seen examples where it works, and others where it doesn’t. When it comes to contracts, our sport is constant pressure. Whether you’re in the car or not, you have to handle it — and George knows that, just like every other driver. I believe that being too comfortable can actually hurt performance more than having a bit of pressure in the system.”
Finally, speaking to Sky, Wolff explained why he can’t entirely rule out signing Max Verstappen: “As team principal responsible for a brand like Mercedes and the 2,000 people working in our team, I have to explore opportunities that involve a four-time world champion — it’s completely normal.”
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