Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has given insight into the talks that took place with Max Verstappen, which became one of Formula 1‘s biggest talking points of the summer.
The Red Bull driver was the subject of speculation, across much of the European leg of the season, that he was eyeing a move away from the Milton Keynes-based squad.
George Russell’s revelation that the German marque had engaged talks with the Dutchman lit the blue touchpaper for weeks of intense debate and rumour.
It seemed that Verstappen was close to making the shocking switch, but eventually committed to the Red Bull team for the 2026 season.
Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, has recently indicated that the first wish of Verstappen is to end his career with Red Bull, saying it would be a “fantastic story”.
However, he also poured a bucket of realism onto that, saying Verstappen would only stay “if he has the equipment to win.”
When recently asked what the extent of those hotly speculated talks with Verstappen and Vermeulen were, Wolff indicated they were little more than informal.
“We didn’t discuss big sporting matters too much in the summer,” he said after this month’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “It was more on a personal level.”
Wolff warns title ‘can swing quickly’ as Verstappen puts McLaren on notice
Verstappen’s wins in Baku and Monza have reinvigorated his campaign, putting the McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris on notice.
Whilst Verstappen is still very much on the periphery of the title battle, Wolff has warned that you cannot rule out a driver of his calibre.
“I think you always need to stay feet on the ground and humble,” said Wolff, he said.
“He’s had a good run, the car is good, and Max Verstappen, you always need to be wary of what he can achieve, especially if he’s seeing that it’s actually back on the cards.
“It’s a long shot. Things need to work in his favour, but you can see [with] a DNF for the championship leader and Max scoring 25 points, it can swing quickly.”
READ MORE – Why McLaren sees Max Verstappen as a ‘disruptor’ to F1 ambitions
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