'I Don’t Flirt Outside': Mercedes F1 Boss Toto Wolff Rules Out Potential Max Verstappen Signing for 2026 Season

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Principal Toto Wolff has finally cleared the air over the rumours on whether he has been trying to get his hands on Max Verstappen for the 2026 season. Wolff has denied any speculation over the matter, saying that the team needs to focus on the drivers they have on their team.  

Toto Wolff Denies Flirting With Max Verstappen For 2026 Season

Following Lewis Hamilton's move to Scuderia Ferrari, speculations were rife on getting a hot-shot driver to replace the seven-time world champion in the team and pair alongside George Russell. Max Verstappen was touted as a huge possibility, even though the Silver Arrows brought in rookie prospect Kimi Antonelli to pair with the struggling Russell. Valtteri Bottas also returns to Mercedes as their reserve driver. However, team principal Toto Wolff said that he does not flirt around when they have something already brewing well in their team.

“I think we’ve said it pretty clearly last year, and (Verstappen) said the same, we need to concentrate on our driver line-up, we need to do (the best with) that we have.

“I don’t flirt outside if I’m in a good relationship, and that is true for this year, too. So, at the moment that is not on any, let’s say, radar and I don’t plan to shift my concentration away from these guys and make sure that George has a contract (extension) pretty soon and we agree on the final things,” Toto Wolff said on the eve of the Australian Grand Prix, as quoted by AP.

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Mercedes Team Principal Focuses On Current Driver Line-up & It's Future

Toto Wolff focused on the driver line-ups for the future after McLaren sealed an extension with Oscar Piastri, saying that extending George Russell's deal with the Mercedes AMG F1 Team is now a priority task for them.

“We have had a chat (with Russell) a few weeks ago about what the right timing would be to liaise, and I’m — naively or not — someone that sticks to what he says. These three [including reserve driver Valtteri Bottas] are the combination that I want to go forward with Mercedes, and I have no reasons to doubt that. We’re going to find some time, I guess, before the summer,” the Mercedes F1 Team Principal added.

The Formula One 2025 season will kick off with the Australian Open 2025, with the main race happening on March 16, 2025.

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