Scott Gulbransen
Max Verstappen’s list of landing spots for 2027 got shorter last week, and it happened without him saying a word.
Toto Wolff told Sky Sports F1 during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend that Mercedes has no plans to pursue the four-time champion, putting to rest one of the longer-running storylines of the driver market. Asked directly whether Max Verstappen is now off the team’s radar, Wolff didn’t hedge.
“Yes, we don’t want to change things and we said that also to George,” Wolff said. “I think it’s a lineup that is good for us. I’m very happy with the two of them.”
Wolff and Mercedes All-In on George Russell and Kimi Antonelli
The comments confirm that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will remain paired at Mercedes through 2027, closing the door on speculation that has followed Verstappen for the better part of two seasons. The four-time champion holds break clauses in his Red Bull contract, which runs through 2028 and has been loosely tied to Mercedes ever since Wolff first tried to sign him years ago.
Russell, for his part, had already said he expected to stay put. He told reporters in Austria he would be racing for Mercedes next year, calling it a certainty. Wolff backed that up, and went further in his praise of the Briton.
“George doesn’t need to prove to anyone that he has the speed,” Wolff said. “We know he has, and the ability.”
The timing matters. Antonelli, in his second full season, has built a 50-point lead over Russell in the championship standings, a gap that would have made almost any team reconsider its lineup. Wolff didn’t sound like a man considering anything of the sort.
“Kimi is very fast. That’s why we hired him, and George the same,” he said. “We are talking about fine margins, and it’s about keeping yourself in the confidence zone.”
Related: Kimi Antonelli Is Formula 1’s Next Superstar – and the 2026 Season Is Already Proving It
What Does It All Mean for Max Verstappen’s Future?
For Verstappen, the door closing at Mercedes leaves his 2027 future murkier than it’s been in years. Red Bull’s struggles under the new regulations have fueled speculation about his exit clauses, and rumors linking him to McLaren have persisted even as McLaren CEO Zak Brown has pushed back on them. With Mercedes now off the table, at least publicly, the list of seats capable of matching his ambitions gets shorter.
None of this guarantees Verstappen stays at Red Bull. It just means one of the sport’s more obvious landing spots isn’t waiting for him. Whether that pushes him toward patience with Red Bull’s rebuild, or toward one of the paddock’s less certain options, is the question that will define F1’s driver market for the rest of the year.
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FAQ on Max Verstappen’s Future After Door Closed at Mercedes
No. Toto Wolff confirmed Mercedes will keep its current driver lineup, ruling out a move for Verstappen.
Wolff told Sky Sports F1, “We don’t want to change things,” confirming George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will remain paired at Mercedes.
Antonelli holds a 50-point advantage over Russell in the 2026 drivers’ standings.
With Mercedes off the table, Verstappen’s options narrow. He remains under contract with Red Bull through 2028, though speculation about a move to McLaren persists despite denials from the team.
