Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed that he will stop “flirting” with Max Verstappen over a potential move now the team’s 2025 Formula 1 driver line-up is finalised.
The German marque announced last month that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will move up to a permanent race drive as a replacement for the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
With George Russell also holding a contract through 2025, Mercedes has given up on the slim hopes it had of prising Verstappen to the team as soon as next season.
Wolff has divulged that he had talks with the Verstappen camp over the summer break which ended with all parties agreeing that a switch won’t take place until 2026.
But although he has been open in public on his desire to attract Verstappen, Wolff has conceded that he is now “sitting back” on discussing the reigning F1 champion.
“I think I’ve expressed it before, and we have a similar view also from Max’s side: you’ve got to put faith in your drivers or in your team,” Wolff told Autosport.
“You need to give it the maximum support you can to make it a success. And only if things go really wrong, you will consider other opportunities.
“For me, it’s like flirting outside whilst you’re making your relationship work. It doesn’t work, I’m not flirting outside.
“Only if I want to have a change, or consider a change, I would seek a conversation. And it is the same on his side. We’re pretty aligned in our values on that I think.”
Russell to remain at Mercedes long-term
Wolff pursuing Verstappen prompted Red Bull boss Christian Horner to indicate in Singapore that his squad was retaining tabs on Russell as a possible future option.
However, Wolff has insisted that the Briton will remain with Mercedes long-term and suspects that he will rise to the challenge that Antonelli will provide next season.
“George has a similar trajectory in terms of karting and junior formula, and George was the first Mercedes junior that joined us,” he said. “He’s still our Mercedes driver.
“We don’t make a big difference [between him and Antonelli]. Emotionally, we give them the same support. Nothing changes.
“Every top driver in F1 knows that he needs to compete against their team-mate, whether he’s young or old.
“George’s team-mate has been Lewis Hamilton, the greatest driver of all time, for three years.
“So he will be just fine competing against one of the youngest, who comes in with great expectations.”
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