Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed the team`s interest in signing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen for the 2026 Formula 1 season. Wolff also stated he is open to the possibility of the Dutchman racing alongside George Russell.
Although Wolff had previously indicated that Mercedes` pursuit of the four-time world champion was temporarily paused, having publicly expressed interest last year following Lewis Hamilton`s confirmed move to Ferrari for 2025, the topic remains alive.
Ahead of this weekend`s Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell suggested in an interview that his current contract, which expires at the end of the season, has not been extended because Mercedes is still exploring the possibility of signing Verstappen.
Responding to Russell`s comments on Friday about whether signing Verstappen was under serious consideration as a potential replacement for either Russell or team-mate Kimi Antonelli, Wolff commented, “I support what George said. I`m always behind the driver. There is no such thing as saying things I wouldn`t want him to say.”
George Russell mentioned there`s no significant update on a Mercedes contract renewal but feels his recent performance is helping his case for a new deal.
Wolff added that the team maintains transparency about its plans and strategy, a practice in place since he took charge.
“At the moment, clearly you need to explore what`s happening in the future,” he stated, but reiterated, “it doesn`t change anything of what I said before about George, about Kimi, about the line-up that I`m extremely happy having.”
Max Verstappen`s current contract with Red Bull runs until 2028, but reports suggest it contains clauses that could allow him to leave earlier.
Back in May, Wolff had stated he wouldn`t prolong contract discussions with Russell.
When pressed on whether a deadline would be set for Verstappen to decide on joining Mercedes, Wolff confirmed “conversations behind closed doors” were ongoing.
Wolff clarified, “You make it sound like we have been asking, `when do you want to join and what are the terms?` That`s not how it is and how it works.”
“I want to just have the conversations behind closed doors, not town halls,” he emphasized.
He highlighted that Mercedes has long-term drivers in their program, Russell and Antonelli, with whom he is pleased and who he believes will succeed, making the current situation somewhat unique. “We have two drivers that have been in our programme a long time, drivers that I`m perfectly happy to have, drivers that will do great in the future of the team. So, it`s a bit different a situation.”
Wolff Open to Verstappen-Russell Pairing
Verstappen and Russell recently had a controversial collision near the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, resulting in a penalty for Verstappen.
The two drivers have had several clashes both on and off the track in the last year, including a notable verbal dispute after the Abu Dhabi season finale last year.
Their rivalry continued at the recent Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, where Verstappen received a penalty for colliding with Russell, followed by further verbal exchanges.
Despite their rivalry, Wolff did not dismiss the idea of pairing them at Mercedes, suggesting it couldn`t be more challenging than managing the intense dynamic between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg from 2013 to 2016.
Following a penalty incident in Qatar, Russell had called Verstappen a “bully,” stating someone needed to challenge the Red Bull driver.
Wolff commented, “I can imagine every line-up. I had Rosberg and Hamilton fighting for a world championship, so everything else afterwards is easy.”
He acknowledged the advantages and disadvantages of having two highly competitive drivers, adding that history shows cases where such pairings have worked and others where they haven`t.
Russell Considered More Likely for Mercedes Seat
In a follow-up interview, Wolff slightly downplayed the immediate prospect of Verstappen joining Mercedes in 2026.
He stated Russell`s position at Mercedes in 2026 was more probable, explaining the team`s commitment to transparency: “What we try to do in the team is be transparent as good as we are. You can choose to hold things under wraps or do what I`ve done over the last 12 years and put it out there and say `this is the situation`.”
“These drivers are clever people,” he continued. “They talk with each other and I`m always open about these things and say it how it is.”
He clarified that stating “we are going to sign Max” isn`t realistic at this point as it`s too distant a possibility. “This is so far away that it`s not realistic. With George, we talk about everything,” he added.
Wolff countered Russell`s suggestion that his contract talks were “delayed,” asserting that the discussions are proceeding according to a mutually agreed timeline.
“There is no delay in George`s contract negotiations because it`s pretty clear, since a long time, what our timings were and are,” Wolff stated.
He emphasized their long relationship, dismissing the idea of a delay. “We have known each other for such a long time, so there is no such thing as a delay.”
“As team principal of the best car brand in the world,” he concluded, “it`s clear you explore what a four-time world champion will do in the future, and that could be long into the future. That has no effect on us putting a signature on George`s contract.”
