Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff believed that he had a “risk” to signal Max Verstappen for 2025 and held summer season talks along with his administration workforce.
Amid the sooner energy struggles that created a fractious surroundings at Crimson Bull within the opening part of the 2024 season, there was a lot hypothesis that Verstappen may depart the Milton Keynes squad on the finish of the yr and be a part of Mercedes.
It was revealed that Verstappen had a break clause in his contract that might be activated if Helmut Marko, then embroiled in an influence wrestle with Crimson Bull workforce principal Christian Horner, left the defending champion workforce. This avenue appeared to shut when Marko’s future on the workforce was locked down till 2026.
Wolff has since disclosed that he remained in talks with Verstappen’s administration workforce – specifically his father Jos and supervisor Raymond Vermeulen – with discussions over the longer term going down in the summertime. Nonetheless, the 2 events got here to the conclusion that Verstappen wouldn’t be becoming a member of Mercedes in 2025.
“I believed all via the yr that there was a window or that there was a risk. It wasn’t zero,” Wolff defined.
“It is fairly bumpy floor there nonetheless, and never just for efficiency causes, but additionally due to interpersonal points that we’re all conscious.
Toto Wolff, Workforce Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG F1 Workforce on the Press Convention
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Pictures
“By the way in which, I bought on with Jos for all my life. However possibly as a result of we’re a bit related. And that is why I believed the door was by no means utterly closed.
“What had been the percentages of of that taking place? Possibly there have been 10 to 1. 9 to 1. Nonetheless, I did not wish to hand over, however then we collectively got here to the conclusion over the summer season that we should not be ready for one thing to occur earlier than committing for 2025, however let’s simply proceed our job, Max at Crimson Bull and right here at Mercedes taking our personal driver choices.
“And that was a form of joint thought.”
Wolff instructed earlier within the season that he would “do a handstand” to safe Verstappen’s providers, which he joked he had tried over the summer season and “damage his wrist”, however this was amid a part the place Mercedes was uncertain on who to signal to its second seat to companion George Russell.
He defined that the talks with Verstappen and his administration workforce had been forthright, and that each one events had been open of their discussions over 2025. In that, he was “okay” with hypothesis that Verstappen’s path could lay with Mercedes’ sooner or later.
“What I like with Max, Raymond and Jos is that we speak straight. We needn’t push one another. We’ve been on this too lengthy; we have taken the choice for drivers for subsequent yr. That is what our full effort goes into.
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20 battles with George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15
Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Pictures
“Hopefully that is going to be the lineup for 2026 and past. However that does not shut the door on Max being with us in ’26 or past, as a result of we wish to nonetheless hold all of the choices open in the identical means he does. So what I loved in our conversations is there may be by no means a hidden agenda.”
“In some way I’ve that feeling [that Mercedes and Verstappen’s paths will cross]. However I do not know when that might be. Whether or not it is ’26, whether or not it is three years later, I do not know but.”
Wolff additionally appeared to trace that the workforce was now strongly leaning in the direction of rising star Andrea Kimi Antonelli in its 2025 concerns, because the Italian is about to drive for the workforce in FP1 at Monza.
Antonelli, who turns 18 on Sunday, has lengthy been thought of because the inheritor obvious to Hamilton at Mercedes – and Wolff stated that he and Russell had been very a lot part of Mercedes’ long-term plans.
“Quickly, we are going to verify who’s within the second seat. And what I additionally stated is that the 2 drivers which are within the automotive have our full assist, 100%.
“And due to this fact I am getting into the season in 2025 with two drivers that we’ll be giving all the chance to carry out.
“And that is why I do not wish to speak concerning the 2026 driver lineup at that stage as a result of I wish to make it work with George and [hypothetically] Kimi.”
