How Toto Wolff would feel if Mercedes NEVER signed Max Verstappen

Toto Wolff has said it would not be a “disappointment” if he does not sign Max Verstappen for Mercedes in future, instead saying the team needs to “concentrate on our drivers.”

It was widely reported earlier this week that Wolff and Mercedes have now ended their pursuit of the reigning World Champion to replace Lewis Hamilton next season, with junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli  the hot favourite to step up to the grid in 2025.

No Max Verstappen at Mercedes? Not a ‘disappointment’, says Toto Wolff

Wolff had been public in his courting of Verstappen, in case he had been looking for a challenge away from Red Bull, despite being contracted to the team until the end of the 2028 season.

The Mercedes team principal told the German media that he wants to “make it work with George and Kimi” for next season, and the team declined to comment when approached by PlanetF1.com regarding next season’s driver line-up.

But when it comes to the reigning World Champion, Wolff explained that he wants to focus on the here and now rather than a potential future partnership.

“I don’t think it’s a disappointment,” Wolff told Sky F1 when asked if he would be disappointed to never sign Verstappen as a Mercedes driver.

More of the key reaction from Zandvoort this weekend

👉 F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates

👉 2024 Dutch Grand Prix – Qualifying F1 results (Zandvoort)

“Max is a great driver, but what I said yesterday is we need to concentrate on our drivers.

“George is doing a mega job. Whoever’s going to be in the second car, we will focus on and not think about what could be in the future. I’d like to make it work with George and the new driver.”

Wolff stopped short of naming Antonelli directly as the replacement for Hamilton in a more recent interview with Sky, but when asked about his teenage prospect and his chances of making it to the top tier, he joked that if he does not perform in Formula 2, a swift move elsewhere could follow.

“Well, we’ve done lots of Formula 1 testing with him. He’s had a great series in the junior formulas, and in go karting,” Wolff said of the Italian.

“In F2, the team is struggling a little bit, and it’s very clear, you know, if, if the campaign goes well, he might have a chance of Formula 1.

“If it doesn’t go well, I told him we’re doing Renault Clio Cup next year!”

Read next: ‘Which meeting?’ – Max Verstappen responds to Toto Wolff’s Mercedes claim