Toto Wolff just lived up to his threat to Max Verstappen’s ‘greedy’ agent with 2027 Mercedes offer

Follow us on Google Discover

Ralf Schumacher has heard that Toto Wolff has made Max Verstappen an offer to join Mercedes in 2027, but it was “so bad” that it was unacceptable for the Red Bull racer.

Verstappen is set to once again hold the keys to the F1 driver market this season, as 2026 is likely to be the first time that the Dutchman is realistically set to be available since he signed his contract at Red Bull through 2028. The deal he signed in 2022 boasts many exit clauses.

It was a similar story last year, but Red Bull were always likely to retain Verstappen as he had to rank outside the top three in the F1 drivers’ standings at the summer break yet remained a title contender. But Verstappen only has to be outside the top two this year and is seventh.

Throw in his threats to retire from F1, and Red Bull are desperate for Verstappen to publicly commit to staying for 2027 – potentially also with a new contract. But Mercedes boss Wolff now seems to be testing the waters for Verstappen to switch Milton Keynes for Brackley.

If you were Toto Wolff, would you sign Max Verstappen to replace George Russell?

Explain your choice in the comments

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Ralf Schumacher claims Toto Wolff made Max Verstappen a ‘bad’ offer to join Mercedes

According to Schumacher, Wolff has made Verstappen an offer “behind the scenes” in 2026 to join Mercedes in 2027. Yet the offer was “so bad” financially that the four-time champion was never going to accept the terms in the event that he decides to leave Red Bull next year.

READ MORE: The best moments of Max Verstappen’s career in Formula 1

However, Schumacher suggests that the offer was an “intentional” move by Wolff to explore the market knowing full well that it makes “no sense” for Mercedes to sign Verstappen given Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s emergence. George Russell is widely thought to be the most at risk.

Schumacher told Sky Sports Germany: “There’s currently no room at Ferrari. At Mercedes, we hear that Toto Wolff made him an offer behind the scenes. But the offer was apparently so bad, financially speaking, that it’s completely out of the question.

“I think that’s intentional, because again, I’ve said it before, why would Toto Wolff, if everything goes as planned, get an expensive Max Verstappen alongside Kimi Antonelli, the future superstar?

“Then he’ll have two drivers in the team fighting against each other. He knows that feeling well from the Rosberg and Hamilton era. It’s like a hole in your head, and above all, it puts Kimi in danger. So, that makes absolutely no sense.”

Toto Wolff had warned Max Verstappen that Mercedes would not pay his £86.5m wage

Verstappen and his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, should not be surprised that Wolff tried to low-ball the Dutchman with what was likely Mercedes’ opening offer for a switch in 2027. Wolff revealed last August that he warned Vermeulen that Mercedes would not pay out big.

While the possibility remained that a move away from Red Bull could materialise before the summer 2025 break, Wolff confirmed that he spoke with Verstappen’s manager to discuss a move to Mercedes for 2026. But as the move did not materialise, Wolff made it clear that if Mercedes were to dominate the 2026 regulations, they would not meet Verstappen’s wage.

Wolff told De Limburger in August 2025: “I told his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, that if we have the best car next year, we’ll only have to pay 10% of that €100million (£86.5m), ha ha. [Vermeulen replied], ‘You’re a cheap Austrian’. I replied that he’s a greedy Dutchman.”

Now, according to Schumacher’s information, Wolff has simply lived up to his threat, having seen Mercedes begin 2026 with a perfect record up to Lewis Hamilton’s first win for Ferrari in Barcelona – which likely came after Wolff put a deal on the table to Verstappen for 2027.

Before Hamilton won the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix last Sunday, Mercedes had taken every Grand Prix and F1 Sprint win since the start of the 2026 F1 regulations era. Antonelli with four and Russell with three are also the only drivers to get a pole position this season.