Verstappen no longer in Mercedes' plans, says Wolff

Dominika Jordan
Mar 13, 2025, 11:37 PM ET

Melbourne, Australia -- Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated that signing Max Verstappen is no longer a consideration as the team gears up for discussions to extend George Russell's contract.

Wolff had been transparent about his interest in Red Bull's Verstappen following Lewis Hamilton's announcement that he would move to Ferrari in 2025. Talks were held with Verstappen's father, Jos, and manager, Raymond Vermeulen, but Mercedes eventually decided to pursue other options.

In a significant move last September, Mercedes confirmed that junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli would join Russell for the 2025 season, a pairing that Wolff plans to maintain into 2026.

"I think we've said it pretty clearly last year, and he [Verstappen] said the same," Wolff told media ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. "We need to concentrate on our driver line-up. Pursuing Verstappen is not on the radar. I don't like to shift my concentration away from Russell and Antonelli."

Russell’s contract is set to expire at the end of this year, and Wolff indicated that there are plans to negotiate an extension before F1's summer break in August.

"We have had a chat a few weeks ago about what the right timing would be to liaise," Wolff said. "These two [Russell and Antonelli] are the combination I want to go forward with at Mercedes."

Russell echoed this sentiment, stating his confidence in the partnership and focus on Mercedes’ performance goals. "We're focused on getting Mercedes back on top and winning races and championships," Russell said. "Performance speaks, and we've got bigger fish to fry right now."

This season marks the first in over a decade that Mercedes will compete without Hamilton. Despite the high-profile departure, Wolff noted that the team has adapted well.

"I think it felt less different, to be honest," Wolff said. "Lewis and Ferrari is iconic, and I think the sport benefits from it. Our current driver line-up just fell into place. Kimi has been with the team for a long time, and this is the future."

As Mercedes embarks on this new chapter, Wolff reflected on the legacy while looking forward. "We're living in the moment, we're living for the future," he said. "The past is great history, but now this is the future."