Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has declared only ‘simple minds’ would assume a fast car will be enough to keep Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing next year, earning a searing rebuke from counterpart Christian Horner.
Verstappen’s future has been a central storyline of the opening races of the season after the Dutchman sensationally raised the possibility of exiting Red Bull Racing, though he hasn’t repeated the threat since last month.
But the moment of doubt has been enough for Wolff to insert himself into the conversation, with the Mercedes manager regularly describing Verstappen as his preferred candidate to replace the outbound Lewis Hamilton, who will join Ferrari next season.
On paper a Mercedes switch would make little sense. Red Bull Racing is dominating the championship and is tipped to do likewise next year, while the German marque is enduring its worst start to a season in more than a decade.
Wolff sees the performance differential as no obstacle, however, declaring in a series of oblique statements that his team was in with a chance of wooing Verstappen several places down the championship order.
“There are so many factors that play a role for a driver joining,” he said, per . “Clearly when you look at it from the most rational point of view you can say it is the quickest car in the hands of the quickest driver.
“But I don’t think this is the only reason you stay where you are.
“For, let’s say, simple minds, that might be the only reason to stay in the car. But maybe there is more depth to some people that consider other factors too, and I think Max has that depth.
“In that respect, are we going to convince him? I don’t think it is a matter of convincing. I think that Max knows motor racing better than anyone and he will take decisions that are good for him.
“I think a few factors play a role, but he is the one that is going to trigger some more dominoes to fall afterwards. Everybody is waiting on what he is going to do.”
Told of Wolff’s renewed commentary on Verstappen’s supposed availability, Horner issued a stern slap-down on his rival team boss.
“I don’t think Toto’s problems are his drivers,” he said, per . “I think he’s probably got other elements that he needs to be focusing on rather than focusing on drivers that are unavailable.
“I’m not going to get drawn into it. I think sometimes it’s just designed to create noise.
“We moved ahead of the amount of races that Mercedes have won in the modern era. The team’s in form. Why on earth would you want to leave this team?
“Mercedes are the third team behind their customers at the moment. I would think his time would be better spent perhaps focusing on the team rather than the driver market.”
Horner said he had no doubt Verstappen would see out his contract with Milton Keynes.
“I can assure you that there is no ambiguity about where Max Verstappen will be next year,” he added.
“Have you spoken to Max about this? Because if you speak to Max, it’s not about pieces of paper at the end of the day.
“We know that he has a contract to the end of 2028. It’s about how he feels in the team, the relationship he has in the team and the way he’s performing.”
The connection to Mercedes isn’t immediately obvious given the disparity in performance, with only a possible return to form with the new rules in 2026 a theoretical drawcard.
Despite admitting that even he wouldn’t drive for Mercedes next year if he were in Verstappen’s shoes, Wolff said his team was worth gambling on in the new era.
“If I was Max, I would stay at Red Bull in 2025,” he confessed.
“But I am not Max. It is the quickest car, but there are other factors.
“It is a question of how they feel the future, how they feel where the future is best for them, considering a lot of factors.
“We are in a very good position for 2026. We are ambitious with the targets we set ourselves for the power units, batteries and fuel, and if we are able to produce a decent chassis, we are a good-value proposition, but who knows.”
Horner, surely growing tired of having to field questions about Verstappen’s future after almost two months, was blunt in reply.
“Have you heard George Russell is out of contract at the end of 2025?” he said.
“Maybe he might not be so keen to stay in 2026. The market moves around.”
Verstappen’s threat to quit Red Bull Racing came after long-time ally and Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko said he was at risk of being cut adrift by the energy drinks brand after decades of service.
Verstappen, whose rapid elevation to Formula 1 came thanks to Marko, linked his future with the team directly to Marko keeping his job.
Talks between Marko and Red Bull management at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March appeared to smooth over the situation.
The episode was just one in a saga following allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against Horner at the end of last season, an investigation into which was carried out during the off-season.
The inquiry concluded ahead of the season-opening weekend in Bahrain, with the complaint being dismissed following the filing of a lengthy report by an independent King’s Counsel.
The complainant has reportedly launched an internal appeal against the findings with Red Bull in Austria.
The BBC has also reported that the woman has lodged a complaint with a UK employment tribunal, though the matter won’t be heard until next year.
Verstappen’s father, the former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, called for Horner to step down earlier this year despite him being cleared by the investigation, saying his continued presence at Milton Keynes was driving the team apart.
The power struggle inside Red Bull Racing has since been pitched as one between camps led by Horner and by the Verstappen family.
Verstappen rebuffed questions about his future with the team in the lead-up to the Chinese Grand Prix.
“I signed a long-term deal with the team,” he said, per the BBC.
“The only thing I said from the beginning is we want to have a peaceful environment.
“Lately we have been talking about the car. I am happy about that. I am happy with the team, and there has never been a reason to leave.”
Regardless of what appears to be idle speculation on Verstappen joining Mercedes next year, Wolff is heavily tipped to promote Formula 2 young gun Andrea Kimi Antonelli to Hamilton’s vacated seat in 2025.
Antonelli is in his first year of Formula 2. He skipped Formula 3 entirely after winning four Formula 3 and Formula Regional championships in two years.
The 17-year-old Italian completed his first private test with Mercedes in a Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring last week.
Mercedes’s only real problem arises if it deems Antonelli not yet ready to suit up in factory colours next year. In that case Antonelli could be held in F2 for another year or loaned to another team for an apprenticeship outside the limelight, as was the case for George Russell at Williams.
In that case Mercedes would need to find another experienced driver to replace Hamilton, but any contract would be effectively to warm Antonelli’s seat and therefore be of limited appeal.
