"No want for change": Is Toto Wolff rejecting Max Verstappen here?

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff caused a stir with his statements ahead of the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg (follow all sessions here in the Formula 1 live ticker!). In an interview with Sky England, Wolff said: “We don’t want any change. I am satisfied with our two drivers. This driver pairing is good for us.”

This vote of confidence for the current Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell can, however, also be understood as a rejection of Max Verstappen. Although Verstappen’s stay at Red Bull is contractually fixed until the end of 2028, exit clauses in case of continued poor team performance could allow the four-time Formula 1 world champion to switch. (Photo series: The contract durations of all Formula 1 drivers)

According to Wolff’s statements, Mercedes is not a potential destination for Verstappen. The team boss explained in a discussion with Austrian media representatives according to the news agency APA: “Kimi has gotten into the driving. The driver pairing fits – also the cooperation between the two in the team. It would be wrong to change that now. For us, it is important that we now have stability.”

Why Wolff’s words mainly support Russell

This should especially support Russell morally: The long-time Mercedes driver was considered a clear title contender before the start of the 2026 season but soon after the season start fell behind his teammate Antonelli. Currently, his deficit in the overall world championship standings is 50 points.

But Wolff expresses trust in Russell with his remarks and said on Sky England: “He is handling the situation well. Anyone who makes it into Formula 1 has thick skin. You have to have self-confidence. That is a strength of George. He has always found his way back on track in his career. That is why I have no doubt that he will manage it now as well.”

The contract durations of the current Formula 1 drivers

Russell needs to optimize details, Wolff explained. It is about “staying in your own comfort zone, having confidence in your own driving style and also in the decisions made together with the mechanics during the setup.”

“Often it is actually that simple: just drive,” said Wolff. “George no longer has to prove to anyone that he has the speed and skills that we all know he has.”

Probably also for this reason, Russell said before the race weekend in Austria that he is “one hundred percent” expecting to stay at Mercedes. Wolff confirmed this again when he said: “We don’t want to change anything. We have also told George that.”

What options Verstappen has for 2027

If Verstappen wants to switch for the 2027 season, he will probably have to look for another team. Verstappen’s manager Thierry Vermeulen keeps all options open. He told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: “We feel at home at Red Bull. But Max was not born to drive in the midfield.”

That is why Formula 1 expert Marc Surer would bring Verstappen to Mercedes if he were in Wolff’s place. Surer said in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com: “A Verstappen racing against you is the worst thing you can have. So you have to buy him, just so he doesn’t race against you.” (Watch the full interview here on the YouTube channel of Formel1.de!)

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