P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes team principal believes “God knows” whether Max Verstappen will race for the German marque in the future, whilst insisting his “homegrown” approach “feels natural” for now.
Toto Wolff has a strong relationship with the Verstappens, but doubts if Max will ever race for Mercedes. With Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari and speculation about his replacement, Verstappen’s potential move away from Red Bull was intensively discussed. Despite having a contract until 2028, Max will race for Red Bull next season, but long-term plans are uncertain. Wolff hinted at a future partnership with Verstappen, but insists he has a good relationship with the Verstappen family. Mercedes looked to their junior drivers to replace Hamilton, distancing themselves from openly courting Verstappen. Wolff believes in investing in homegrown talent, like Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, for the future. The question remains whether F1 should bring back the double-points season finale concept from 2014.
