WOLFF: “IT’S TIME TO STOP ‘FLIRTING’ WITH VERSTAPPEN”
Toto Wolff stated that the determination of Mercedes’ 2025 lineup means focusing on future drivers rather than Max Verstappen.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said it is the right time to stop “flirting” with Max Verstappen now that the team’s Formula 1 driver lineup is established. Following Lewis Hamilton’s announcement that he would leave Mercedes at the end of this season, Wolff engaged in numerous discussions with the Verstappen camp about a potential move earlier this year.
Wolff hoped that the turmoil at Red Bull at the start of the season, following accusations aimed at team principal Christian Horner, and the questions surrounding the team’s long-term competitiveness would encourage Verstappen to make a move. However, with discussions leading to no conclusions and Mercedes increasingly influenced by the progress of young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli in this year’s tests, interest in Verstappen has waned.
Before this year’s Italian Grand Prix, Mercedes announced that Antonelli would be stepping in for Hamilton, hoping for the beginning of a long-term relationship with the team. When Antonelli joined the lineup alongside George Russell, Mercedes expressed its expectation that this driver duo would stay with the team for years. As a result, Wolff feels there is no longer a need to actively pursue Verstappen.
Speaking about approaches to Verstappen’s future, Wolff said, “We are stepping back. I think I’ve expressed this before, and Max shares a similar view: you need to trust your drivers and your team. You must provide all the support you can to be successful. However, if things really go wrong, you might consider other opportunities.”
“For me, it’s like flirting outside while trying to maintain your relationship. It doesn’t work; I’m not flirting outside. If I want to make a change or consider a change, I’ll seek a conversation. And that applies to him as well. I think our values align quite well on this.”
While Mercedes views Antonelli as a long-term prospect, the future of Russell, who has been suggested as a candidate for the team when his current contract expires at the end of 2025, remains uncertain.
However, Wolff sees Russell as an integral part of Mercedes in the coming years and believes he will enjoy competing against the young Antonelli.
Wolff stated, “George has a similar trajectory in karting and junior formulas, and he was the young driver who joined us at Mercedes. He is still our Mercedes driver. We’re not making a big distinction between him and Antonelli. Emotionally, we give them the same support. Nothing is different.
Every top driver in F1, whether young or old, knows they need to compete with their teammate. George’s teammate has been the greatest driver of all time, Lewis Hamilton, for the past three years. So, he will be pleased to compete against one of the youngest drivers who comes with high expectations.”
