F1 fans have taken advantage of persistent rumors linking Max Verstappen with Mercedes following a post-race exchange with Toto Wolff during the Austrian Grand Prix.
Despite Mercedes’ team principal confirming that the team has no intentions of changing its driver lineup for 2027, the moment when Wolff congratulated Verstappen on his second place has sparked a sarcastic reaction on social media.
A Reddit user commented: “It’s time to exaggerate,” while another joked that “MAX VERSTAPPEN REPLACES KIMI ANTONELLI AT MERCEDES”. More comments included: “MAX VERSTAPPEN REPLACES TOTO WOLFF AT MERCEDES” and “MAX VERSTAPPEN REPLACES BENZ IN THE MERCEDES-VERSTAPPEN F1 TEAM.”
Another fan referenced a viral moment from the series Drive to Survive, claiming that Wolff was “telling Max that he already has the contract printed.” Furthermore, several observations hinted that the interaction between the two drivers looked like a “handshake to confirm the contract.”
Verstappen’s second place at the Austrian Grand Prix represents his best result so far in the 2026 season, with George Russell as the winner and Kimi Antonelli leading the championship on the podium.
Fans continued the mockery, stating: “At this rate, the entire grid are his children. Kimi, Russell, Ham, Bottas, Max, etc.” Currently, Mercedes leads the Constructors’ Championship with 302 points, followed by Ferrari with 204 points and McLaren with 159 points.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
