There are doubts about whether Max Verstappen will ever drive for Mercedes in Formula 1. This question is recurring in the annual press sessions of the team’s director, Toto Wolff, with Dutch journalists at the Zandvoort circuit. On this occasion, it seems that the door is closed, but Wolff has left it slightly ajar.
The history of F1 could have been very different if Mercedes had managed to secure the future of the young driver in 2014, when Verstappen continued winning races in Formula 3 as a debutant in single-seaters but was focused on debuting immediately in the world championship. Only Red Bull could offer him this opportunity through its second team.
Since then, Mercedes and Verstappen have been rivals, but two years ago, Wolff revealed that he had held conversations with the then world champion for the third time. The Austrian was looking for a worthy replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who left for Ferrari, and had already set his sights on future talent Kimi Antonelli, although, obviously, he would not have let the opportunity to recruit Verstappen slip by if a possibility had arisen.
However, it did not happen, but Wolff insisted that the door was not closed when Motorsport.com asked him if the possibility of a Verstappen move was still present: «Yes, it is. Somehow, I have that feeling. But I don’t know when it could be. If it’s 2026, if it’s three years later, I still don’t know».
Wolff brought the matter back up with Verstappen a year later, but the Red Bull driver reaffirmed his loyalty to his Milton Keynes team. «Could it mean that our paths will never cross if the timing is wrong? Well, that may happen,» Wolff reflected at that time. «But, you know, it could be a 50%. The other 50% is that we will share the track at some point in our careers, if it’s suitable for both parties».
But now, Wolff admits he does not expect Verstappen to join Mercedes anytime soon, after Russell and Antonelli were confirmed in the silver arrows for 2027 in June, while Verstappen’s new contract with Red Bull was announced before his home race, although he is currently going through one of his winless seasons since 2015.
Wolff commented: «Very soon we felt that continuing with George and Kimi was the right decision, for various reasons, but it seems that the driver formation is the right positive dynamic. This allows Kimi to grow and George to get the best out of himself, as he has a fast and young teammate».
«Therefore, it seemed logical for Max to stay with Red Bull. It’s better the devil you know – this is a phrase that applies! – and then wait to see what happens in two or three years, when contracts open up again and probably his options won’t just be one team, but maybe three or four at once. And see who performs better».
Asked by Motorsport.com if Mercedes had any real opportunity to sign Verstappen for 2027, Wolff clarified: «Very soon, at the end of spring, it was clear that we would continue as we do. And we have an open relationship and in a way the most transparent we can have. So the situation, as you say, was very different from last year, where both parties were exploring whether some cooperation could happen or not».
The announcement of Verstappen’s new contract ended speculation about the future of the four-time champion, after he had been one of the most critical drivers of the new F1 regulations. Cryptic and dismissive comments about «life» decisions fueled rumors in his foray into GT3 racing, but in the end, the Red Bull superstar decided to continue his F1 career.
Asked if he was surprised to see Verstappen stay longer in the series, Wolff replied: «No. The more the regulations mature, the more teams will adjust. And even if Red Bull is currently in a complicated position, it’s clear that, given time, they will shine again».
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
