P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Toto Wolff won’t be ‘sadistic’ over Mercedes F1 2026 line-up as timeline set
Toto Wolff aims to have Mercedes’ 2026 driver line-up finalized by the end of the summer break in August. George Russell’s contract with Mercedes ends this year, and his extension is pending, as newcomer Kimi Antonelli signed a long-term deal to replace Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes is considering Max Verstappen for the future, but commitments to Russell for 2026 are not definitive yet. Wolff expressed the desire to have the driver line-up set between the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix in August to respect all stakeholders and make informed decisions. Speculation has arisen over the possibility of Max Verstappen joining Mercedes, with potential performance-based clauses in his Red Bull contract allowing for earlier exits. Wolff clarified that exploratory talks with Verstappen do not impact Russell’s contract negotiations, emphasizing that both paths are being actively pursued by the team.
