Mercedes boss shuts down Verstappen rumour in stunning rebuke

News.com.au

4 days ago

In the three weeks since the British Grand Prix, Max Verstappen's future has been the talk of the F1 world and it appeared all but certain he was headed to Mercedes.
Red Bull's decision to sack Christian Horner in the middle of the season was seen by many as a desperate, last ditch effort to appease Verstappen's camp after two factions in the team emerged following the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Matechitz in 2022.
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A covert meeting between Verstappen and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff in Sardinia raised eyebrows when their private jet and yachts happened to be in the same location.
A team switch does seem logical for the Dutchman since Red Bull's performance has fallen off a cliff and Mercedes are tipped to be competitive when the new era of F1 regulations begin in 2026.
But it now seems Verstappen to Mercedes may not be happening, with Wolff appearing to shut the door on poaching the four-time champion — backing current drivers George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli as his 'absolute priority' for 2026.
'Discussions have been taking place over the last weeks and months, so they are all up to date,' Wolff said to Austrian broadcaster ORF ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.
'The direction of travel is definitely that we want to continue with George and Kimi. That is the absolute priority.
'But you can't look past someone like Max and the plans he has for the future. We did that, but I don't think there will be any big surprises.'
Wolff even took a swipe at F1 fans who had doctored images showing him boarding Verstappen's private jet.
'What's new is that people are doing photo collages with airplanes. We've never had that before,' Wolff said.
'But if you spend your holidays close to each other, it doesn't mean that you're going to work together in Formula 1.
'We have always gotten along well and by chance we like to spend our holidays at the same places.'
Russell and Antonelli have contracts until the end of this season, while Verstappen is contracted with Red Bull until the end of 2028.
If Verstappen did replace Russell at Red Bull, it could trigger a domino effect across the grid.
'If Max leaves and they (Mercedes) don't burn themselves on George, then Red Bull will probably sign Carlos Sainz,' Montoya told AS Colombia.
'And then they put Kimi at Williams. That gives Antonelli time to develop, just like they did with George.
'I think they (Red Bull) had the option to bring in Carlos, but Max didn't want Carlos as a teammate. That makes it complicated.
'Although I don't think Max has been given the option or the right to say who he wants as a teammate at Mercedes. That's the only thing I don't think he will get, of what he does have at Red Bull.'
Speaking to Vision4Sport, 1997 world champion Jacques Villenueve, said Verstappen would eat Antontelli alive at Mercedes.
'I don't think having Max as a teammate would be very helpful (for Antonelli),' Villeneuve said.
'Max is a big beast and unless you're good enough he will eat you alive. It's very simple.
'You have to be strong and good enough. Not because he's mean, but because he's a competitor and to earn his respect you have to be good. You have to be at a certain level.'
Villeneuve added: 'George is bringing in a lot of (championship) points, but he doesn't have a very exciting image. And sponsors also want that. He is very clean cut, very proper, very Mercedes groomed. But the speed and the results are there.
'That's not the typical Red Bull approach, They like fire. They like explosions. They like chaos. So George is not a Red Bull driver. But he does bring the results.
'And Red Bull is in need of pushing the team forward again. Reorganising, redeveloping, re-understanding which direction to go, mostly with the new engine manufacturer it is paramount. George would be a good Ford driver.'
The sight of Verstappen driving for another team is salivating for the F1 world, especially since it would give him the chance to enhance his case as the greatest driver of all time if he won a world championship with two different teams.
That's something Michael Schumacher (Benetton, Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren, Mercedes) both did during their careers.
The F1 season continues this weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix as Oscar Piastri looks to claim his sixth win of the season.
Piastri leads his McLaren teammate Lando Norris by eight points heading into the second half of the year. The Brit is coming off consecutive victories in Austria and Silverstone.