Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has a seat to fill for the 2025 season after Lewis Hamilton decided to bid farewell over the winter to join Ferrari. While Hamilton will be off to fulfill his childhood dream next year, the future of Silver Arrows is at stake amid a challenging run.
The drivers market has never been this active, and the rumor mill is working overtime to build up wild driver swap scenarios. One such scenario linked current champion Max Verstappen to Mercedes. To further fuel the drama, team principal Toto Wolff subtly confirmed his inclination toward Verstappen.
Toto Wolff Looking To Decide On Lewis Hamilton’s Replacement By Summer!
In the aftermath of a major turmoil that unfolded in Red Bull Racing, the outfit has been divided into two halves, with team principal Christian Horner and three-time champion Max Verstappen on opposite sides. Moreover, despite Max’s contract extending until 2028, his future remains tied with Helmut Marko, who has been at loggerheads with the team’s leadership. Therefore, the political tussle could push Verstappen out of Red Bull, and that’s exactly what Toto Wolff dreams of. While speaking to FOX Australia, the Austrian revealed that he intends to reach a consensus on a second-seat candidate by this summer. But a lot of that depends on what Max Verstappen decides for his future as he remains Mercedes’ top candidate. “I don’t really know yet. I think it depends also on what Max [Verstappen] does,” said Wolff.
Apparently, Toto Wolff is in a fix between going after a seasoned champion like Max Verstappen or offering an apprising talent like Kimi Antonelli a chance to prove himself. Ultimately, Wolff feels Verstappen is not a silver bullet. They have to fix the car first. If Mercedes manages to design a competitive car, even someone like George Russell is capable of being a world champion. That being said, Toto Wolff feels he needs to have an extraordinary relationship with Max Verstappen for the potential swap to materialize. “It’s a kind of relationship that needs to happen at a certain stage. But we don’t know when,” added Wolff. Overall, the next few weeks are crucial for both Mercedes and Red Bull. As Christian Horner’s saga intensifies, somebody has to take charge and keep the house together before Verstappen gets poached by a rival.
Carlos Sainz, Fernado Alonso Also On Mercedes’ Radar
While Max Verstappen seems a far-fetched dream for Mercedes at this point, a realistic team principal is keeping his options open. Toto Wolff said in an interview recently that Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso are also on the team’s radar for the second available seat.
While Fernando Alonso is at loggerheads with Aston Martin, Carlos Sainz remains without a seat, with Lewis Hamilton replacing him at Ferrari in 2025. Therefore, Toto Wolf intends to explore all options before reaching a consensus by this summer. While the task is steep, Wolff is determined to keep Mercedes’ best interest in mind.
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