Toto Wolff says his public courting of Max Verstappen, with a view to the Dutchman becoming a member of Mercedes, is at an finish.
Even earlier than Crimson Bull’s efficiency took a dip, it was claimed that the three-time world champion was pondering an alternate berth within the wake of the Horner saga.
Whereas Helmut Marko and Jos Verstappen ensured the pot was continuously stirred, Wolff made his transfer, and wasn’t afraid to let everybody know of his curiosity within the Crimson Bull driver.
Nevertheless, together with his 2025 line-up settled, the Austrian claims that his flirting days with the Dutchman, who as a junior slipped by means of his finger, is at an finish.
“We’re sitting again,” he tells Motorsport.com. “I believe I’ve expressed it earlier than, and we now have an identical view additionally from Max’s aspect, you have to put religion in your drivers or in your crew.
“It’s essential to give it the utmost help you may to make it successful,” he provides. “And provided that issues go actually incorrect, you’ll think about different alternatives.”
Amidst the seeming exodus at Crimson Bull, Christian Horner did not miss the chance to ruffle Wolff’s fur just a few weeks again when he urged (out of contract) George Russell as a possible driver in 2026.
Married to former racer, Susie Stoddard, who now runs the F1 Academy, Wolff compares managing driver line-ups to sustaining a profitable relationship.
“It is like flirting exterior when you’re making your relationship work,” he says. “It would not work, I am not flirting exterior. Provided that I need to have a change, or think about a change, I might search a dialog. And it’s the identical on its aspect. We’re fairly aligned in our values on that I believe.”
As for Russell, he says: “George has an identical trajectory when it comes to karting and junior system, and George was the primary Mercedes junior that joined us. He is nonetheless our Mercedes driver.
“We do not make a giant distinction,” he provides, referring to soon-to-be teammate Kimi Antonelli. “Emotionally, we give them the identical help. Nothing adjustments.”
Wolff is assured that having been teammate to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, Russell is not going to really feel threatened by his new teammate.
“Each high driver in F1 is aware of that he must compete towards their team-mate, whether or not he is younger or outdated,” says the Austrian. “George’s team-mate has been Lewis Hamilton, the best driver of all time, for 3 years.
“So he will likely be simply tremendous competing towards one of many youngest, who is available in with nice expectations.”
