Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team, has announced that the decision regarding the team`s driver pairing for the 2026 season will be made during the Formula 1 summer break in August. This timeline is particularly noteworthy given recent rumors connecting Red Bull`s reigning four-time world champion, Max Verstappen, to the German squad.
Speculation about Mercedes` future driver lineup for the upcoming season increased during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend after current driver George Russell mentioned in an interview that the team had been in contact with Verstappen.
As of now, neither Russell nor the team`s rookie driver, Kimi Antonelli, have had their positions confirmed by Mercedes for the 2026 season.
Wolff later confirmed that “private conversations” were taking place to explore “the potential future steps of a four-time world champion.” However, he also expressed satisfaction with the current driver pairing and indicated that it was still more likely that Russell would remain with the team for 2026 than Verstappen would join.
Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing has dismissed Mercedes` comments about their star driver as mere “noise.” Verstappen is currently under contract with Red Bull until 2028, although reports suggest his contract includes performance-related clauses that could potentially allow for an earlier departure under certain circumstances.
Speaking after the Austrian race, Wolff stated that Mercedes was comfortable with their current situation but reiterated that a final decision on the 2026 lineup would be reached relatively soon. With three races remaining before the nearly month-long August break, the deadline is approaching.
“You need to act respectfully towards all parties involved – the organization, the drivers, everyone,” Wolff commented on the decision timeline. “I believe we are in a good position… Throughout the next couple of months, leading up to the summer break, everything will be finalized.” When asked if the decision would come at the start or end of the break, Wolff humorously replied, “Maybe somewhere in the middle!”
The Mercedes Perspective
Wolff had previously shared his views on the team`s driver situation for the significant rule changes coming in 2026 during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.
“I think when you consider our situation with Kimi and George, we have an ideal pairing that we genuinely appreciate and believe represents the future,” he stated.
“But simultaneously, there is a four-time world champion who must decide his future path, and as a team principal, you have a responsibility to monitor that situation,” he added, while emphasizing, “However, I assign a very low probability to that happening [Verstappen joining].”
Clarifying if this low probability applied only to 2026 or the long term, Wolff explained, “You cannot predict what the situation will be in three or five years, which is why you need to consider the long-term perspective.”
When asked what factors needed to align in Mercedes` favor for their decision, Wolff responded, “Nothing specific needs to work in our favor, because our intention and desire is to continue with George and Kimi.
“But effective long-term planning requires understanding the intentions of other significant figures in the sport.”
The Red Bull Perspective
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was asked for his reaction to Mercedes` comments linking them to Verstappen.
“It generates a lot of noise,” Horner said. “I think Max finds it quite irritating. We have a very clear contract with Max that runs until 2028.”
“Therefore, anything being suggested is purely speculative, and we generally choose not to pay much attention to it,” he added.
When questioned if Mercedes` remarks were an attempt to unsettle Red Bull at their home race, Horner responded, “I can understand George might be feeling frustrated about not having a contract confirmed yet, but that is an issue between him and his team.”
“With regard to Max`s situation, we are perfectly clear on where things stand, and naturally, so is Max,” Horner concluded. “Everything else is just background noise, and obviously, the specifics of any contract remain confidential between the parties involved.”
The Pundit`s Perspective
F1 analyst Karun Chandhok provided his thoughts on the situation.
“We are not privy to the specific clauses that would allow him to exit his Red Bull contract,” Chandhok remarked, “but were you in Max Verstappen`s position, you would surely assess the performance levels of the leading teams next year [2025] and then make your decision about your future direction.”
Chandhok believes that “essentially any team on the grid would desire to have Max driving for them. He stands out as the premier driver of recent times.”
He also pointed out the significance of the upcoming major rule and power unit changes for 2026: “From Max`s viewpoint, the new era of regulations could potentially establish the competitive landscape for the next five or six years, much like what occurred with Lewis Hamilton in 2014.” Chandhok characterized the situation for the immediate next year (2025) as a strategic “dance,” suggesting that the driver market for 2027 could become “quite chaotic.”
Marcus Prine