Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the time is true to cease “flirting” with Max Verstappen now that his squad’s Formulation 1 driver line-up is sorted.
Within the wake of Lewis Hamilton asserting his departure from Mercedes on the finish of this season, Wolff held quite a few discussions with the Verstappen camp earlier this yr a few potential swap.
Wolff hoped that the early season turmoil inside Purple Bull following the allegations made towards crew boss Christian Horner, allied to questions over the squad’s long-term competitiveness, may tempt Verstappen to make a transfer.
However with the talks going nowhere, and Mercedes more and more impressed with junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s progress in testing this yr, the curiosity in a Verstappen swoop fell away.
Forward of this yr’s Italian Grand Prix, Mercedes announced that Antonelli would step up as Hamilton’s replacement forward of what the squad hopes is the beginning of a long-term relationship.
With Antonelli slotted in alongside George Russell, Mercedes has talked of a driver line-up that it expects to have in place for years – which is why Wolff sees no must be energetic with Verstappen anymore.
Talking to Autosport about ideas on his strategy to Verstappen’s future, Wolff mentioned: “We’re sitting again.
“I believe I’ve expressed it earlier than, and now we have an analogous view additionally from Max’s aspect: you have to put religion in your drivers or in your crew. You should give it the utmost help you may to make it a hit. And provided that issues go actually incorrect, you’ll contemplate different alternatives.

George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Group, 1st place, Toto Wolff, Group Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG F1 Group, have a good time in Parc Ferme
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
“For me, it is like flirting outdoors while you make your relationship work. It would not work, I am not flirting outdoors.
“Provided that I wish to have a change, or contemplate a change, I’d search a dialog. And it’s the identical on his aspect. We’re fairly aligned in our values on that I believe.”
Whereas Mercedes sees Antonelli as somebody for the very long run, the way forward for Russell has been the topic of curiosity – with Red Bull suggesting he could be a candidate for the Milton Keynes squad when his present contracts expires on the finish of 2025.
However Wolff sees Russell as an integral a part of Mercedes for years to come back, and thinks he’ll revel within the recent problem of going up towards the younger Antonelli.
“George has an analogous trajectory by way of karting and junior components, and George was the primary Mercedes junior that joined us,” added Wolff. “He is nonetheless our Mercedes driver.
“We do not make an enormous distinction [between him and Antonelli]. Emotionally, we give them the identical help. Nothing modifications.
“Each prime driver in F1 is aware of that he must compete towards their team-mate, whether or not he is younger or previous. George’s team-mate has been Lewis Hamilton, the best driver of all time, for 3 years.
“So he will probably be simply high quality competing towards one of many youngest, who is available in with nice expectations.”