Toto Wolff Confirms Sights Still Set On Max Verstappen For 2025 Season

Alex Harrington | Aug 11, 2024

Jun 7, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (NED) in the pit lane during the practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Mercedes Team Boss Toto Wolff recently reiterated his considerations for the team's lineup beyond 2024. Despite the allure of Max Verstappen, Wolff conceded that the possibility of bringing the three-time world champion on board seems slim at the moment, but he is still watching to see how the Red Bull drama pans out.

The vacancy at Mercedes comes in the wake of Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected move to Ferrari earlier this year, marking a shuffle within the driver market. Hamilton, who secured six of his seven F1 world titles with Mercedes, made a sudden exit by exploiting an exit clause, although his contract was originally set to run until the end of the 2025 season. This abrupt departure forced Carlos Sainz out of Ferrari, who subsequently secured a position with Williams.

Addressing the future lineup, Wolff revealed that Italian F2 standout Andrea Kimi Antonelli is currently the frontrunner for the open seat alongside George Russell. Antonelli, a product of Mercedes' junior driver academy, seems poised to step up according to Wolff.

"The criteria for our next driver are simple: we want the best available. At the moment, my first option is Kimi Antonelli," Wolff stated.

However, the decision does not come without its reservations. Wolff acknowledged the myriad challenges Antonelli would face, notably the pressure from media and the benchmark set by teammate George Russell, whom Wolff praised as one of the grid's most talented.

"Of course there are risks. It's not so much about his talent as a driver, but Antonelli would be exposed to the media and the skill of George Russell, who is one of the best drivers on the grid."

Despite these potential hurdles, Wolff remains optimistic about Antonelli's capability to escalate his performance if he were to join the Brackley team. Drawing comparisons to Oscar Piastri’s development alongside Lando Norris, Wolff expressed hopes for a similar trajectory for the young Italian.

"But Kimi has huge potential. His speed and talent are already at a certain level; he just lacks the experience," he noted. "If you look at Piastri's progress, it took him a year and a half to compete for victory at the level of teammate Lando Norris. We want to try to do the same with Kimi. In 2025, with the 2026 changes, we'll still be in transition, so it's a good season to train him on our team."

In the backdrop of these developments, the speculations around Verstappen continue to churn, especially given the current instability within Red Bull. Wolff admits keeping a close watch on the evolving situation, retaining a flicker of hope of roping in Verstappen.

"An alternative scenario is of course Verstappen, but at the moment it doesn't seem realistic to me. I will continue to observe the market. I'm not sure how the situation will evolve at Red Bull," he concluded.