Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that he intends to have a decision on the team’s driver line-up in Formula 1 in 2026 taken prior to this season’s summer break.
George Russell delivered a bombshell in the build-up to last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix as he claimed that Mercedes has held renewed talks with Max Verstappen.
Russell, alongside rookie team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, is still waiting to put pen to paper on a deal to continue with the German marque past the ongoing season.
Wolff repeated his commitment to retaining the team’s current pairing last month, though he suggested in Spielberg that he has inquired about Verstappen’s situation.
“Well, again, we are going into territory that I don’t want to discuss out here, but people talk, people explore,” Wolff told media including Motorsport Week.
“And most importantly is that in our organisation, we are transparent. But it doesn’t change a millimetre of my opinion of George, his abilities or anything else.”
However, the Austrian has recognised that it is improbable that Verstappen will elect to leave Red Bull without experiencing the new 2026 rules with his existing team.
Mercedes set to end speculation in coming months
Regardless, Wolff has vowed that he wants to avoid the growing speculation hanging over the team once the annual summer shutdown has concluded in late August.
“You need to be respectable towards the stakeholders in all of that process,” he said post-race. “The organisation, the drivers, everybody. You need to understand the way forward.
“And I don’t want to be sadistic in letting a driver wait or not taking any decisions when it should be taken. So I feel we’re in a good space. We’re [in] June.
“Obviously there’s lots of discussions around. I’ve been open with it and transparent.
“And at a certain stage in the next couple of months – until the summer break, we need to know. Until the summer break, everything is going to be done.”
When pressed on whether that meant prior to the summer break or once it has ended, Wolff added: “Maybe in the middle.”
Red Bull has been unenamoured with the speculation surrounding Verstappen, with boss Christian Horner stating that Mercedes has its “own issues” to contend with.
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