“Nothing wrong” with Wolff’s interest in signing me

Max Verstappen acknowledged Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has expressed an interested in signing him, though his Red Bull contract runs until 2028.

Wolff indicated his interest in hiring Verstappen after Lewis Hamilton confirmed he will leave Mercedes at the end of the year. Speculation over Verstappen’s future over Red Bull grew earlier this year when he expressed concerns over the possibility motorsport consultant Helmut Marko might leave the team.

Although Verstappen has since dismissed suggestions he could leave the team at the end of the year, he is not concerned about Wolff’s pursuit of him.

“Everyone can say what they want,” Verstappen said in yesterday’s FIA press conference. “I get on very well with Toto. I think he’s very open about what’s happening within his team, right, with the driver line-up and stuff. So there’s nothing wrong with that.

“At the same time, also, I just focus on my job. There’s a lot to do anyway, so we just focus on that.”

Mercedes tried unsuccessfully to sign Verstappen while he was in Formula 3. He joined Red Bull’s junior team instead and was swiftly promoted into their F1 programme. Mercedes’ latest junior talent, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, is widely expected to be named as Hamilton’s replacement.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner insisted there was never any possibility Verstappen would join Mercedes next year.

“The situation I think has been, as we’ve been stating all the way through the year, that we know what our agreement is with Max and Max knows what his agreement is with us,” Horner told Sky. “And he’s certainly not available to Mercedes for [2025], he never was.

“I’m sure whatever options they choose to take, they’ve thought carefully about and if they choose to give Antonelli the seat then you’ve got to commend them for taking a risk with a youngster.”

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