Mercedes Chief Toto Wolff Confirms Interest In Signing Max Verstappen For The 2026 Season

Add as a preferred source on Google

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has expressed interest in signing Max Verstappen from Red Bull for the 2026 season. George Russell, a current Mercedes driver, mentioned that discussions with Verstappen might be delaying his own contract renewal. Russell's contract is set to expire next year, and Kimi Antonelli is also considered an option for Mercedes in 2025.

Last year, Wolff had shown interest in Verstappen following Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari, but nothing materialised. When asked about Russell's comments and the possibility of replacing one of their drivers with Verstappen, Wolff stated: "I like what George says, and I'm always supportive of the driver. There is no such thing as saying things I wouldn't want him to say."

Verstappen is contracted with Red Bull until 2028, but there are rumours of clauses that might allow an early exit. When questioned about setting a deadline for Verstappen's decision on joining Mercedes, Wolff confirmed ongoing discussions. He emphasised that these conversations are private and not public negotiations.

"You make it sound like we have been asking, 'when do you want to join and what are the terms?' That's not how it is and how it works," Wolff added. He stressed the importance of having these discussions behind closed doors rather than publicly.

During Friday's second practice session at the Austrian Grand Prix, Verstappen secured third place behind two McLaren drivers. Meanwhile, Russell finished sixth. Verstappen remains optimistic about his performance this weekend despite working with a different race engineer.

The Dutchman noted some understeer issues during both short and long runs but was confident they could address these before the race. "Overall, today was quite straightforward, and we didn't have any big issues," he said.

Team Dynamics at Mercedes

Wolff reiterated his satisfaction with the current driver lineup at Mercedes. He highlighted the transparency within the team regarding plans and decisions since he took charge. "We have two drivers that have been in our programme a long time," he said.

The focus remains on nurturing existing talent while exploring future possibilities discreetly. Wolff believes both Russell and Antonelli will continue to excel within the team structure.

The ongoing discussions around Verstappen's potential move add an intriguing layer to Mercedes' strategy for upcoming seasons. As talks progress privately, fans eagerly await further developments in this high-stakes scenario involving top-tier drivers.