Toto Wolff, the head of the Mercedes team, envisions the possibility of Max Verstappen joining their ranks and is prepared to seize any chance for a remarkable transfer.
Within the confines of Red Bull Racing, speculation has been brewing for months regarding the potential departure of three-time world champion Max Verstappen from the Milton Keynes-based outfit, which has been dominant in recent years.
Despite having a contract in place until the culmination of 2028, Verstappen’s agreement contains several clauses, shedding light on the uncertainty surrounding his future.
One such clause revolves around the tenure of Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko. Additionally, there exists a performance clause tied to the introduction of new engines by Red Bull Powertrains. These clauses serve as catalysts, prompting Toto Wolff to eagerly welcome Verstappen into the Mercedes fold.
In a conversation, Wolff reiterated his aspiration to secure Verstappen’s signature as the successor to Lewis Hamilton. “It is a great opportunity. And a few months ago I did not expect that this opportunity would be there at all,” Wolff candidly confessed, underscoring the potential magnitude of the move.
“As Lewis’ replacement, I think there is only a small group of drivers who are interesting for us. Among them are some drivers who are not going to make any rash decisions.
“Max Verstappen will also not decide sometime in the next few weeks where his future lies. There are options for drivers for the very short term, but also for the longer term. At Red Bull – let me put it this way – a certain situation has arisen. Therefore, Max will presumably also go to see how that situation develops.”
Wolff concedes that there exists no benchmark for evaluating Verstappen’s prowess but refrains from drawing comparisons to Hamilton: “I find it very difficult to compare them.
“They are also at a different stage in their careers. When Lewis has a good car, he is incredibly strong. But if you look at Max’s last two years, no one even comes close to him.”
“Jos and I are the same age. I think we have always had respect for each other and we also have the same kind of humor. I think the most important thing is that we both don’t like b******t.
“Jos knows more about racing than I do, and what about Max? Maybe I know a little more about running an organization again.”
Wolff added: “Looking back on that whole year, it’s clear that I made some mistakes. In the way, I handled some things. I can’t reverse that. But Max, Jos, and I have talked about it and everything has been pronounced.”
The door remains wide open at Mercedes, and Toto Wolff is in no rush to hastily determine Lewis Hamilton’s replacement. His message couldn’t be clearer: Mercedes intends to bide its time when it comes to Verstappen.
