P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Toto Wolff rejected claims made by Nico Rosberg over Mercedes’ driver line-up.
Toto Wolff has dismissed the idea that George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are in a potential ‘shootout’ for the 2026 Mercedes seat, with Mercedes’ protégé Antonelli recently confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement for 2025 at the Italian Grand Prix. Russell, whose contract ends next season, will team up with Antonelli, but there’s a potential twist with Max Verstappen in the mix, as Wolff tries to attract the three-time F1 champion to Mercedes for 2026. The new power unit regulations could play a role, as Mercedes excels in this area and Red Bull enters this field in 2026. If Verstappen joins Mercedes in 2026, either Russell or Antonelli could be replaced, creating a ‘shoot-out’ situation, according to Nico Rosberg. Despite this, Wolff has rejected this notion, affirming his commitment to Russell and Antonelli, emphasizing their talent and development within the Mercedes program. Verstappen is set to stay at Red Bull for 2025, but his future beyond that remains undecided, as talks between his camp and Mercedes are on hold for now, as Wolff focuses on supporting Russell and Antonelli.
