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Toto Wolff didn’t comment on the speculation about Mercedes pursuing Max Verstappen, but did suggest George Russell’s intentions may not be as noble as once believed.
Recently, Russell called Verstappen his ‘dream’ teammate, suggesting that he would want to be on the same side as one of his biggest rivals.
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Mercedes’ pursuit of the four-time world champion, especially given Verstappen’s current frustration with Red Bull.
Would Max Verstappen be complaining about F1’s 2026 regulations if he had joined Mercedes?
Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull runs through 2028, but speculation surrounding a potential exit clause has intensified in recent months.
Should Max Verstappen leave Red Bull, Toto Wolff and Mercedes would be quick to approach him. However, Wolff claims George Russell’s desire to team up with Verstappen is more selfish than one might expect.
READ MORE: Many Red Bull staff are convinced that Max Verstappen will ‘step away’ from F1 before his deal ends
Toto Wolff refuses to comment on Max Verstappen pursuit, suggests George Russell wants to prove himself
During an interview with local media in Japan, Toto Wolff was asked about George Russell’s recent comments about Max Verstappen being his dream teammate.
While Wolff didn’t comment on Mercedes’ potential interest in Verstappen, he suggested that Russell wants to prove that he is better than Verstappen, who many consider the best in the world.
“I think George is saying that because Max is widely considered as the best in the business and George wants to show that Max is not the best in the business, but it’s him.”
“I’m going to keep myself out of this discussion. We’re just in the beginning of the season with George and Kimi, and I’m super happy with that.”
Wolff recently suggested Verstappen is in a ‘horror show’ with Red Bull, noting that their issues have completely derailed the Dutch ace.
READ MORE: Max Verstappen has never been so ‘downbeat’ about his Red Bull F1 car after Chinese Grand Prix
Is Toto Wolff planting the seeds for poaching Max Verstappen from Red Bull? 🤔
Red Bull cannot risk further issues infuriating Max Verstappen
As things stand, Max Verstappen is immensely frustrated with the current situation at Red Bull. In Shanghai, Verstappen’s Red Bull struggled massively against the other top teams
Toto Wolff will be loving Verstappen’s anger with Red Bull, as it puts him in a great position to land the driver when he becomes a free agent.
Verstappen’s DNF highlighted Red Bull’s major issues, and it goes far beyond their new powertrains, which many felt could hold them back against Mercedes.
A failure on their part to address these issues and give him a winning car could lead to Verstappen leaving Red Bull to advance his career elsewhere.
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