Will Verstappen switch?
Wolff emphasizes: “That certainly doesn’t close the door”
On the sidelines of the Dutch Grand Prix, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff spoke about a possible move for Max Verstappen. The Austrian admitted that he had not given up hope of signing the Red Bull driver all year. Nevertheless, the Dutchman will not be driving for Mercedes next season and yet: "That certainly does not close the door to a future switch," said Wolff meaningfully.
"I have been thinking all year that there is a window or a possibility. It wasn't at zero," Wolff speaks honestly about his interest in world champion Verstappen. And yet he emphasizes that the dream has been dashed for the time being: "What were the odds of it happening? Maybe 10 to 1, or 9 to 1. Nevertheless, I didn't want to give up, but then over the summer we came to the mutual agreement that we shouldn't wait until something happens before we commit to 2025."
Accordingly, they have decided on another driver for the coming season. It can be assumed that this will be "wunderkind" Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Although the Austrian explains that the die is not yet cast: "That doesn't close the door that Max could be with us in 2026 or later, because we still want to keep all options open, just as he does."
Tip against Red Bull
Finally, the Mercedes team boss can't resist making a point in the direction of Red Bull. "It's still a pretty rough surface there, not only in terms of performance, but also because of the interpersonal problems that we all know about." The Horner case has left its mark on the racing team, especially on Verstappen's dad Jos.
Wolff, on the other hand, has always got on well with Jos and Max, emphasizes the 52-year-old. "Maybe because we are a bit similar," jokes the team boss and continues: "What I like with Max, Raymond Vermeulen and Jos is that we talk straight. We don't have to push each other, we've been around long enough." And perhaps, according to the Austrian, this will ultimately lead to a personal happy ending.
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