Wolff Reportedly Waiting For Verstappen Even If He Misses Out On Remaining Top Drivers

According to a recent report from AMuS, Toto Wolff is willing to wait for Max Verstappen for as long as it takes, even if it means he will lose out on Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso.

Ever since Max Verstappen publicly warned his team that he might potentially leave, it became clear his contract with Red Bull, which is supposed to last until 2028, is probably not set in stone.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who coincidentally is currently in search of a driver, couldn't wish for a better opportunity and jumped into talks with the Dutchman's camp over the potential seat in his team.

Wolff told the media that the triple World Champion is his priority, and he is currently waiting for him to decide.

He then said he also has some other candidates, but according to a recent report from Auto Motor und Sport, he is willing to wait for the 26-year-old for as long as it takes.

While both Sainz and Alonso are very attractive drivers, F2 Mercedes academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is said to be maybe even higher on Wolff's list.

So, even if Verstappen let him wait for a long period and both Spanish drivers signed their contracts with different teams in the meantime, Wolff would still have the 17-year-old, which he wants to bring into F1 either way.

In fact, it was announced a few hours ago that the 42-year-old Aston Martin driver extended their contract with his team with a deal that takes him at least to 2026. This means the Spanish matador is out of the equation.

If the triple World Champion was ready to say yes to Wolff's offer, AMuS suggests Mercedes is ready to pay him a whopping salary that "has already been approved internally."

The reports also stated that Verstappen's potential salary with all bonuses should be higher than that of the seven-time World Champion, who is leaving the team at the end of this season.

The only problem now is that Mercedes doesn't at all look as competitive as Red Bull, so the German team would have to step up their game to lure the Dutchman.