Max Verstappen to Mercedes still alive as George Russell back on alert | F1 | Sport
Toto Wolff does not believe that his chances of signing Max Verstappen are over, hinting to George Russell that his days as Mercedes’ senior driver may be numbered. The Silver Arrows’ team principal is hedging his bets that a strong start to the new regulations will be enough to lure the reigning world champion to Brackley.
Mercedes’ boss chased Verstappen hard earlier this year, refusing to hand out new contracts to Russell and rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli as he pursued the Dutchman’s signature. However, despite Mercedes boasting a 42-point advantage over Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship standings at the summer break, Verstappen was unwilling to roll the dice and leave his current employers before learning how the new technical regulations shuffle the pecking order.
Should Verstappen become available in 2026, Wolff has no concerns about giving Russell a serious intra-team threat. “Yeah, it’s difficult,” the Mercedes boss confessed. “But these guys have learned to perform under pressure, and George is the first one to acknowledge that he just needs to constantly perform.
“And if he constantly performs, then the team has no reason to ever doubt his position. We need the two best drivers in the car. I’m not afraid of having the two best in the car. We’ve had that situation with Nico [Rosberg] and Lewis [Hamilton], and that is going to continue to be my plan for the future, whatever the driver combination can be.”
Aside from his mesmerising speed behind the wheel, part of Verstappen’s allure is his personality, according to Wolff. “Well, we get on personally so well,” he continued. “When you’re on the same wavelength, it just feels easy.
“And that’s what I see in the relationship. His views on racing or on other things in our lives are very aligned. Could that mean our paths will never cross because the timings are wrong? Well, that can happen, yeah. But that could be a 50 per cent [chance]. The other 50 per cent is that we are racing together at a certain stage in our careers, if it is right for both sides.”
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If Verstappen decides that Mercedes should be his new home for the 2027 season and beyond, that verdict will likely be motivated by a leap forward for Mercedes at the start of the new technical regulations. The Brackley-based squad are confident in their power unit programme, while Red Bull are in uncharted territory.
“Hopefully us,” Wolff said when asked who will be ahead in 2026. “And 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.”
