Toto Wolff owns up to ‘mistake’ in flirting with Max Verstappen

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted to making a “mistake” in flirting with Max Verstappen.

Wolff has publicly courted Verstappen and been interested in signing the four-time world champion at various points across the past two seasons, with rumours ramping up earlier this year amid doubts over who would be driving for Mercedes next year.

Those doubts were finally ended on Wednesday ahead of the United States Grand Prix when Mercedes announced that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli would be staying with the team in 2026.

Russell sensationally claimed his negotiations over a contract extension had been put on hold due to Mercedes’ pursuit of Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix in June.

Verstappen put the story to story by confirming he would be staying at Red Bull next season at the end of July.

Wolff has now admitted to regretting how he handled the “destabilising” speculation.

“The truth is, you’ve got to learn from the mistake. I think there wasn’t any on-purpose flirting, it was just a coincidence,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1.

“It was clear that you had to have that conversation, and we ended up in the same place in the summer, which obviously didn’t look good and is destabilising for everyone.

“I think that is in the past now, everything is clear, and we move forward.”

Could Mercedes move for Verstappen in 2027?

There have been suggestions that Mercedes could try again to sign Verstappen in 2027.

But Wolff moved to downplay Mercedes’ interest in making a fresh move for Verstappen in the future, insisting that the team’s current pairing of Russell and Antonelli is the focus.

"I think you need stability and a rolling a one-year contract is never good for anyone,” Wolff said.

"But without going into the detail, there are certain clauses that are related to it, but we want to give the driver the feeling, and also the team, that this is the way we’re going forward, it’s a line-up that we’re very happy with, the balance is good.

"Certainly good entertainment for everyone. But we don’t want to create any rumours here. Kimi and George is what we want to do in the future and going forward, and it’s a good line-up.”