Wolff: Still a future for Mercedes and Verstappen ‘if the stars align’

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has suggested that Max Verstappen may yet find his way into the Brackley-based squad in the years to come, despite the Dutchman reaffirming his commitment to Red Bull for now.

The reigning four-time world champion confirmed before the summer break that he will stay with Red Bull, cooling off speculation about a sensational switch to Mercedes following Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari.

But Wolff insists that Verstappen’s loyalty to his current team does not mean the possibility of a future partnership is over.

Speaking at Zandvoort on Friday, Wolff acknowledged why Verstappen has remained with Red Bull but hinted that circumstances can change.

“Max will have his reasons why he’s staying at Red Bull. What he said is he owes them,” Wolff said. “And it’s not the first moment you can walk away when the team doesn’t perform. Beyond the contract.

"So I think things have fallen in place like they are today, and who knows what happens in the future. But the integrity that he has shown to his team and the integrity that I and the team have shown to our drivers, I think that’s important.”

Russell Kept in the Loop

Wolff confirmed that George Russell, who revealed Mercedes’ recent talks with Verstappen’s camp, was kept informed about developments, stressing that it is his responsibility to monitor the market.

“That’s what I said to George,” Wolff explained. “It is my obligation as a team principal here to explore what a four-time World Champion is going to do in the future and what his situation is.

“Any driver out there will say that Max, as it stands, is probably the best. That’s not a secret. And every team needs to go for the best driver.”

“Sometimes you need to wait”

While discussions with Verstappen never progressed to a serious level, Wolff admitted timing plays a critical role in such moves.

“Sometimes you can’t have the best at the moment, sometimes you need to wait for the time, and sometimes you need to develop the best,” he said.

“And for me today, what we have is a very good combination, and let’s see what it is in two or three years. It may be different.

“It never came to the situation where it was like: ‘Okay, we are going to do this’. Neither on Max’s side, nor on my side. It was never that one dimension of ‘have we got a shot’?

“It was more: ‘Does that make sense from the Mercedes perspective? And does that make sense from the Verstappen perspective?’

“Could that mean our paths will never cross because the timings are wrong? Well, that can happen, yeah.”

Eyes on 2026

Wolff believes Mercedes’ best chance of enticing Verstappen will come when Formula 1’s new regulations arrive in 2026, hoping to ensure the Silver Arrows are seen by the Dutchman as the team to beat.

When asked which seat might be the most appealing on the grid if Verstappen stays at Red Bull next year, Wolff was quick to answer: “Hopefully us.

“Then I only need to pay 10 per cent! And that’s exactly what I said to Raymond [Vermeulen, Verstappen’s manager].

“I think that for all of the best drivers money is not the essential objective. The essential objective is to have a car and a team that can make you win World Championships.

“And then comes the debate about the money. I’ve always been of the opinion that you need to pay a driver fairly, whatever that means, whoever the benchmark is.

“So, we’re always going to find a solution if the stars are aligned. Best team, best drivers. And then you find each other.”

While a Verstappen-Mercedes pairing remains a distant prospect, Wolff’s determination to make Mercedes the top destination in 2026 keeps the possibility alive, potentially reshaping the F1 landscape in the years ahead.

Read also: Red Bull in ‘no hurry’ to name Verstappen’s 2026 teammate - Mekies

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