Wolff Ends Verstappen To Mercedes Discussions: 'Don't Want To Have Any Conversation'

Thursday, 29 August 2024 at 17:23

Mercedes's team principal, Toto Wolff, put an end to discussions of Max Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes in 2026.

Mercedes Formula 1 team officially confirmed ahead of the first season after the summer break (the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix) that Max Verstappen would not be driving for them in 2025.

That, however, did not stop speculation that the triple World Champ could still join the German team afterward—for the change of regulations in 2026.

During the previous race weekend (the Dutch Grand Prix), Wolff seemed still open to discussing the possibility of Verstappen joining his team in 2026. However, he changed his stance ahead of the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.

In an interview with BBC, the Mercedes team principal asserted he doesn't want to speak on this topic anymore out of respect for the two drivers who will drive Mercedes cars in 2025.

"Much too early [to say if Verstappen could join Mercedes in 2026]. For the benefit of our drivers next year, I don't want to have any conversation about 2026 or beyond, because we very much hope that the 2025 line-up will be the line-up going forward."

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Another interesting question would be which driver Toto Wolff would replace if Max Verstappen came to him after the end of the 2025 season. Fortunately, that is a decision he doesn't have to make yet. Asked whether he and Max Verstappen agreed to revisit their talks, the 52-year-old said:

"We have not given each other any, let's say, timings. It is more like, keep the communication channel open, while knowing that his priority is to make it function with Red Bull and our priority will be to make it function with the two drivers we have."

The triple world Champion told the media in the Netherlands that he and Wolff get on very well. While there is potential for future collaboration, Verstappen and Mercedes's team principal now have different goals.

Ultimately, this topic will most likely reappear in 2025, but for now, both the Dutchman and the 52-year-old put all the speculations to sleep for a while.