MAX VERSTAPPEN'S FIVE-WORD AGREEMENT WITH TOTO WOLFF OVER RED BULL AND MERCEDES FUTURE

Toto Wolff has kept the Mercedes door wide open for Max Verstappen - despite being on the brink of announcing Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton's replacement. Emboldened by Red Bull's turmoil behind the scenes this year, Wolff has launched a very public pursuit to sign the three-time world champion, to the annoyance of long-time rival Christian Horner.

Amid rumours of get-out clauses if key figures left Red Bull, there was even talk of Verstappen joining the Brackley squad for next year. That scenario has been ruled out, with Mercedes young driver Antonelli, 18, currently in F2, likely to be promoted to be George Russell's team-mate for 2025.

However, there is still a chance Verstappen could defect to Mercedes for 2026, when new F1 regulations kick in. Wolff has confirmed to the BBC that he remains close to the Verstappens, saying the parties agreed they would "keep the communication channel open".

Jos, Max's father who has a frosty relationship with Horner, knows the Mercedes boss well. Wolff's hand could be strengthened by the fact Red Bull's huge pace advantage to rest has been completely wiped out.

McLaren are at least on a par, if not slightly ahead, while Mercedes and Ferrari have closed the gap. Mercedes won three races out of four prior to the summer break to underline their resurgence.

"Red Bull was the dominant car at the beginning of the season," said Wolff. "And that changed a bit. It's Max Verstappen dominant at the moment.

"And the relationships were dysfunctional. I'm not sure they are back in a great place, but it is what it is. There was a moment, or there was an opportunity, to at least have conversations of what it could be in the future, and this is what we did."

On the prospect of Verstappen joining Mercedes for 2026, Wolf said it was "much too early", stressing such talk would be unfair to his 2025 pairing. But on whether he would have further talks with the Verstappens, he added: "We have not given each other any, let's say, timings.

"It is more like, keep the communication channel open, while knowing that his priority is to make it function with Red Bull and our priority will be to make it function with the two drivers we have."

Antonelli, after an extensive testing programme with Mercedes cars from previous years, will make his long-awaited race weekend debut at Monza when he deputises for Russell in free practice one.

2024-08-29T14:48:57Z dg43tfdfdgfd