Toto Wolff explains Max Verstappen talks amid ‘very clear’ message to Russell
George Russell believes Max Verstappen was unaware of Red Bull's post-Canadian GP protest.
Toto Wolff says he was “always very clear” with George Russell that Mercedes wanted to continue with him, but he couldn’t overlook the uncertainty surrounding Max Verstappen.
Speculation that Verstappen could leave Red Bull to join Mercedes has been rife in recent months as Red Bull not only dealt with the fallout from the Christian Horner scandal and the loss of key personnel, but also dwindling on-track results.
Max to Mercedes? Toto Wolff was always ‘very clear’ with Russell
The team lost the Constructors’ title to McLaren last season, while this year Verstappen needs a miracle to retain the title. Or a disaster for McLaren.
But there are no signs of that happening.
Last time out in Hungary, McLaren claimed the 1-2 with Lando Norris ahead of Oscar Piastri while Verstappen was 72s off the pace, dropping 97 points behind in the title race.
It led to speculation that Verstappen was weighing up his options for F1 2026 with F1’s rumour mill even noting that the Dutchman and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff both vacationed on the Santorini Island after the British Grand Prix.
That led to fake claims that the two had met up, Wolff ‘seen walking’ into Verstappen’s jet in doctored images, before the Dutchman called time on the rumours.
Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com at the Hungarian GP, he said: “It’s time to basically stop all the rumours and, for me, it’s always been quite clear that I was staying anyway.
“I think that was also the general feeling in the team anyway, because we were always in discussions about what we could do with the car.
“I think when you’re not interested in staying then you also stop talking about these kind of things – and I never did.”
Asked outright if he can say for sure he will be at Red Bull next season, Verstappen confirmed: “Yeah.
“But for me, I’ve never really said anything about it because I was just focused on talking to the team about how we can improve our performance, future ideas for next year as well, and that’s why I have nothing really to add ever.”
Verstappen’s words were a balm for Russell, who was said to be the driver that Mercedes would drop to make room for Verstappen.
The Mercedes driver was in fact the one who set the Verstappen rumours alight when he revealed the Dutchman was in “ongoing” talks with Wolff about a Mercedes race seat.
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He doubled down on that in Hungary, but with Verstappen putting an end to all of that, Russell is now expected to re-sign with Mercedes. PlanetF1.com understands it is just a matter of when, not if.
Wolff said that was always his plan until it became known that Verstappen was open to considering his options.
“Yes,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport when asked if an announcement about Russell’s future was imminent.
“I’ve always said I’m happy with my team, with Russell and Kimi Antonelli, but suddenly Max’s future became uncertain and so we spoke to him too.
“But I was always very clear with George: 90 per cent he would stay with us but I also needed to talk to Verstappen.
“Now the situation is clarified and everything can return to normal.”
Russell is in the midst of his best season ever in Formula 1 with six podiums including a race win at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Wolff has been impressed with how the Briton has stepped into the team leader role after the departure of Lewis Hamilton with Antonelli brought in as his new teammate.
“Already last year you could understand how much he had matured but obviously he was always in the shadow of a champion like Hamilton,” said the Austrian.
“When Lewis left he took on a leading role in a very natural way, showing performance that is even beyond the possibilities of the car.”
Russell is P4 in the Drivers’ standings, 15 points behind Verstappen in the race to join the McLaren team-mates on the F1 2025 podium.
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