Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ boss, is looking forward to the team’s “homegrown” Formula One lineup in 2025, despite the fact that he is doubtful whether Max Verstappen would ever join.
The surprise announcement earlier this season that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari at the end of the season created a vacancy at the team.
Wolff made clear in public that his top target to replace the seven-time F1 champion was Verstappen, despite the Dutchman having a deal with Red Bull through 2028.
However, Wolff was striving to capitalise on the disruption behind the scenes at Red Bull to attract Verstappen, who has certain exit clauses inserted into his contract.
Verstappen, though, is poised to wrap up a fourth consecutive F1 title this season and has expressed that he will be continuing with Red Bull into next season at least.
But while Wolff declared that he would temper his pursuit in the meantime, the reports linking Verstappen with a switch to the German marque are poised to continue.
Wolff has highlighted that his relationship with the Verstappen camp remains strong, even with the turbulent 2021 title fight between his Mercedes team and Red Bull.
“We get on very well, not always in the visibility of the public eye,” Wolff said regarding Verstappen on the High Performance Podcast.
“I’ve known Jos [Verstappen, Max’s father] for a long time. He’s my age, we have similar views on racing.
“And I wouldn’t want the year 2021 to put any shadow on any personal relationship that we have. It was bad enough that year, but the relationships are intact.”
Verstappen’s decision to honour his existing Red Bull deal has seen Wolff turn to Mercedes Junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli to partner incumbent George Russell in 2025.
Wolff has argued it “feels natural” to open a new chapter with two Mercedes-backed prospects, though he didn’t rule out attempting to entice Verstappen in the future.
“It feels natural now to go to the next generation,” he explained.
“Max is a great driver and an interesting personality, and God knows what happens in the future, but having Kimi and George in the car, homegrown, real Mercedes juniors that delivered every step of their career that we supported – I’m very much looking forward to that situation.”
