Toto Wolff has disclosed that he engaged in discussions with Max Verstappen’s management team during the break regarding a potential move to Mercedes in 2025.
Since the Horner controversy emerged, sparking discussions of a power struggle behind the scenes at Red Bull, there has been speculation about Verstappen changing teams.
The rumor gained credibility with Adrian Newey’s departure from the team, along with the rising competition from McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari.
Wolff was among the first to attempt to attract the young Dutch driver, expressing his desire to have the three-time world champion on board after missing out on him at the beginning of his racing career.
Throughout the summer, the Austrian continued his pursuit, holding discussions with Max’s father, Jos, and manager Raymond Vermeulen.
“I believed throughout the year that there was a possibility or a window. It wasn’t impossible,” he told Motorsport.com. “The situation at Red Bull is still pretty shaky,” he said, “not only due to performance reasons, but also because of known interpersonal issues.
“I’ve always gotten along with Jos throughout my life,” he added. “Maybe because we’re somewhat similar, that’s why I never thought the door was completely shut.
“What were the chances of that happening? Maybe ten to one, nine to one,” he continued. “Still, I didn’t want to give up, but eventually we reached a mutual decision over the summer that we shouldn’t wait for something to happen before committing to 2025. Let’s continue doing our jobs, with Max at Red Bull and us at Mercedes making our own driver decisions. That was a joint decision.
“What I appreciate about Max, Raymond, and Jos is that we communicate honestly. We don’t need to pressure each other. We’ve been in this industry for too long; we’ve made our decisions for next year. That’s where our focus is.
“Hopefully, that will be the lineup for 2026 and beyond. But it doesn’t exclude the possibility of Max joining us in ’26 or later, because we want to keep all options open just like he does.
“What I like about our discussions is that there is never a hidden agenda,” he confessed. “I have a feeling our paths will cross. But I don’t know when that might happen. Whether it’s ’26, three years later, I’m not sure yet.”
All of this seems to confirm that protege Kimi Antonelli will partner George Russell next season.
“Soon, we will announce who will be in the second seat,” Wolff stated. “And as I’ve mentioned before, both drivers in the car will have our full support, 100%. That’s why I’m approaching the 2025 season with two drivers who we will fully support. That’s why I don’t want to discuss the 2026 driver lineup at this point because I want to focus on making it work with George and (potentially) Kimi.”
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