Max Verstappen had been linked with a switch from Red Bull to Mercedes; Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff says he held talks with the world champion's camp during F1's summer break; watch Dutch GP Qualifying live on Sky Sports F1 at 2pm on Saturday
Saturday 24 August 2024 10:12, UK
Toto Wolff has accepted Max Verstappen will not be joining Mercedes in 2025 but says he retains an interest in signing the Red Bull driver in 2026 following summer talks with the Dutchman's camp.
Mercedes team principal Wolff has publicly courted world champion Verstappen throughout the first half of the season following Lewis Hamilton's decision to depart for Ferrari next year.
As the season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, Wolff said he held discussions with Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen and father Jos during the summer break.
"I thought all through the year that there was a window or that there was a possibility. It wasn't zero," Wolff told a group of Dutch reporters in Zandvoort.
"It's pretty bumpy ground there still, and not only for performance reasons, but also because of interpersonal issues that we're all aware.
"By the way, I got on with Jos for all my life. But maybe because we're a bit similar. And that's why I thought the door was never completely closed.
"What were the odds of that happening? Maybe they were 10 to one. Nine to one. Still, I didn't want to give up, but then we together came to the conclusion over the summer that we shouldn't be waiting for something to happen before committing for 2025, but let's just continue our job, Max at Red Bull and here at Mercedes taking our own driver decisions.
"And that was a kind of a joint thought."
It could be inferred from Wolff's comments that Mercedes will now sign Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli to partner George Russell next season.
There has been growing speculation that Antonelli, who turns 18 on Sunday, will replace Hamilton, and Wolff only fuelled that on Friday as he momentarily talked about Russell and the Italian as his line-up for 2025.
"Soon, we will confirm who is in the second seat. And what I also said is that the two drivers that are in the car have our full support, 100 per cent," Wolff said.
"And therefore, I'm entering the season in 2025 with two drivers that we will be given all the opportunity to perform.
"And that's why I don't want to talk about the 2026 driver line-up at that stage because I want to make it work with George and Kimi."
Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season but both driver and team principal Christian Horner have made comments this year hinting that an earlier departure is possible.
Red Bull have dominated since the sport's design regulations changed in 2022, but Mercedes are confident of returning to winning ways under the next set of new rules that are coming in for the 2026 season.
While respecting Russell and his hypothetical 2025 team-mate Antonelli, Wolff made it clear he wants to keep the option open to sign Verstappen in the future.
"What I like with Max, Raymond and Jos is that we talk straight. We don't need to push each other. We have been in this too long; we've taken the decision for drivers for next year. This is what our full effort is going into," he added.
"Hopefully that's going to be the line-up for 2026 and beyond. But that doesn't close the door on Max being with us in 2026 or beyond, because we want to still keep all the options open in the same way he does. So what I enjoyed in our conversations is there is never a hidden agenda.
"Somehow I have that feeling [that Mercedes and Verstappen's paths will cross]. But I don't know when that could be. Whether it's '26, whether it's three years' later, I don't know yet."
Speaking to Sky Sports News earlier on Friday, Horner insisted Verstappen had never been "available" to Mercedes for next season.
"The situation has been, as we've been stating all through the year, that we know what our agreement is with Max, Max knows what his agreement with us is and he's certainly not available to Mercedes for 2025," Horner said.
"He never was. So I'm sure whatever options they choose to take, they've thought carefully about."
Horner, who promoted Verstappen to Red Bull's senior team at the age of 18, said he would be willing to credit his rival Wolff if he were to go with Antonelli.
He added: "If they choose to give Antonelli the seat then you've got to commend them for taking a risk with a youngster."
Saturday August 24
10.15am: Dutch GP Practice Three (session starts 10.30am)
1pm: Dutch GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: DUTCH GP QUALIFYING
4pm: F1 Academy: Race One
Sunday August 25
9.40am: F1 Academy: Race Two
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Dutch GP build-up
2pm: The DUTCH GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Dutch GP reaction
Formula 1 returns after the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - No contract, cancel anytime.
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