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Toto Wolff has been told that he now faces the ‘drama’ of picking between Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen.
Antonelli, 19, was chosen as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement when the seven-time world champion left Mercedes for Ferrari ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 campaign.
The young Italian endured a mixed debut season with the Silver Arrows, showing signs of brilliance and also a lack of experience.
However, in 2026, Antonelli has stepped up massively, winning five out of the first seven races and is currently 41 points clear at the top of the world championship standings.
Meanwhile, four-time world champion Verstappen has had a tough start to 2026, with Red Bull struggling to keep pace with their rivals.
As a result, Verstappen has been linked with a move away, with Wolff having previously shown interest in signing the Dutchman.
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Flavio Briatore thinks Max Verstappen is the ‘number one’ driver on the F1 grid
Speaking recently on the Beyond The Grid podcast, Alpine chief Briatore has claimed that Wolff faces ‘drama’ in picking between Antonelli and Verstappen.
The 76-year-old compared Verstappen to F1 greats such as Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher, naming the Dutchman as the current ‘number one’ on the grid.
When asked if Alpine need someone like Verstappen, Briatore said: “First I need the wallet; I don’t have that kind of money. I agree, I agree, Max is a super driver, he is the Alonso, the Schumacher and in this moment, he is the number one.
“He is delivering incredible results, and if you tell me six months ago between Antonelli and Max, you know everybody would take Max now.
“Now, I think Toto has a drama because he never expected Antonelli so quick. I love that drama like Toto.”
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Recently, it was revealed by Raymond Vermeulen that Verstappen has a release clause in his Red Bull contract, which runs until 2028.
It has also been noted that amid the uncertainty surrounding his future, Verstappen is set to inform Red Bull of his final decision before the F1 summer break.
Vermeulen went on to claim that Verstappen would like to remain ‘loyal’ to Red Bull, but he did not confirm whether the 28-year-old will still be driving for the team in 2027.
So far in 2026, Verstappen has only secured one podium finish, which came at the Canadian Grand Prix.
As things stand, the four-time world champion is seventh in the world championship with 55 points, 101 points behind leader Antonelli.
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