It’s no longer an option, but Toto Wolff hopes to poach Max Verstappen from Red Bull. Critics have tagged this hope in the most Gen-Z way, calling it ‘delulu’. However, the chances aren’t zero. The Mercedes boss will try everything in his power to impress the 3x champ to walk into his garage and brace the cockpit of a future Mercedes F1 car. But how far-fetched is this appeal?

As of now, Max Verstappen has dedicated his entire being- heart and soul to the Austrian racing team. Keeping the Silver Arrows at bay, the ‘Flying Dutchman’ remains focused on his stint at Red Bull. However, Toto Wolff seems to be stern with his determination. The question is – who will Mercedes remove if Max joins – George Russell or the alleged Kimi Antonelli? Wolff may not have an answer to this question now. But when the near future arrives, he must make a tough choice.

Toto Wolff firmly believes Max Verstappen’s connection is on the cards!

You can’t count the number of praises Toto Wolff has for Max Verstappen on one hand. The Limburger will drive for Christian Horner’s team next year as well. However, Wolff has held out his hopes for months now. He is in no mood to stop his game of persuasion. The Mercedes boss sees Verstappen in his team in the next few years. “I thought all year that there was a possibility. Let me put it this way: the chance was not zero,” Toto Wolff declared. “There has been unrest at Red Bull, and it still is. Not only because of the performances on the track, but as we all know, also off the track.” Wolff reminded everyone about the energy drink brand’s internal turmoil.

He added: “I knew that the chance was not very big, but the door was never completely closed. I did not want to give up. In the summer we concluded together that we were not going to wait any longer to see if something might happen. We make our decisions, and so does Max.” Looks like Toto is dropping his campaign for the next season, but 2026 might see a new sunrise!

Mercedes is keeping its doors open for the Dutchman. Whenever he wants to join, they’ll embrace him happily. Meanwhile, the 52-year-old believes Max and his paths will cross someday over time. It could be in 2026 or could take three years, who knows?

At the same time, Wolff targets to get the Red Bull star by 2026. However, he has two drivers in his hand currently: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Toto has to build his team around this duo until Max walks in (if ever). The new regulations will bring new challenges, but until then, Toto shouldn’t be openly teasing other individuals when he has too much on his platter. Wolff also emphasized the importance of giving their 100% to Russell, while also leaking information about Antonelli by mistake.

Toto Wolff’s ‘slip of the tongue’ reveals George Russell’s 2025 partner’s name

“The two drivers in our car next year have our full support. I want to make it work with George and Kimi.” Even after that, Toto Wolff will go on to say that he’s not decided on Russell’s teammate! Mercedes always speaks about their policy of “no hidden agenda” but they’re terribly hiding Kimi Antonelli‘s debut news. The rumor mills have confirmed the information and even experts believe that the Italian F2 star will be announced in the first week of September.

Interestingly, Russell would have the upper hand while Antonelli takes his time to settle in the Mercedes cockpit. But this won’t be the case if Max Verstappen joins the team. We know how versatile and flexible the Red Bull giant is. But what if, in the wildest turn of events, Toto retains Antonelli to pair up with Verstappen? The chances are bleak, but we never know- F1 is mysterious! “There may come a time next year when 2026 becomes a topic, but we’re not there yet,” Toto Wolff has clarified.

Most things remain under the veil of mystery. What’s almost confirmed is Kimi Antonelli’s F1 debut with Mercedes. Meanwhile, George Russell’s seat will not be at risk unless his boss decides to pull out an odd stunt. But if we were to believe the experts, then maybe we could find Max Verstappen in the Brackley outfit in 2026.

Until then, we must keep a close watch on the ongoing developments and activities. What’s your take on this? Share below.