Max Verstappen: F1 rumors mean trouble for Mercedes race winner

Toto Wolff's public flattery towards Max Verstappen has done little to dispel rumours that the champion might switch from Red Bull to Mercedes.

Since Lewis Hamilton announced his departure from the team, Wolff has made it more than clear that Verstappen is his number one target and, despite the Dutchman's protests, he remains in pursuit.

READ MORE: F1 champion admits Hamilton pushed him out of the sport

Wolff's dream is becoming more and more of a reality as he rebuilds his relationship with Max's father Jos Verstappen – whose relationship, unlike Christian Horner, seems beyond repair.

While a move for 2025 has been ruled out, Wolff recently announced that after discussions with the Verstappen camp, a move for 2026 and beyond was still a “possibility”.

However, Mercedes seems to be clear about its line-up for next year, with the team expected to announce Kimi Antonelli alongside George Russell before the Italian Grand Prix.

However, if Verstappen can be persuaded to move to Mercedes in 2026 or 2027, what does that mean for Antonelli and Russell? And most importantly, who will Toto Wolff replace?

Antonelli ushers in a brand new Mercedes future

Wolff is determined to make up for Antonelli's previous mistakes, having let Verstappen slip away from him early in his career and welcomed him into the Red Bull family.

Although Antonelli is not fighting for the Formula 2 championship, he has nevertheless shown promise during his junior career and is already champion in both the Italian F4 and Formula Regional series.

In F2, the Italian has achieved impressive race wins, notably his first victory in the sprint at Silverstone, where he emulated Hamilton and took the win in difficult conditions by eight seconds from P2.

The 18-year-old's results confirm Mercedes' decision to skip Formula 3 and promote Antonelli directly to Formula 2 – a decision based on confidence in the youngster's abilities.

Mercedes has also taken on a supportive responsibility towards Antonelli, which underlines Wolff's relationship with the star.

Antonelli revealed that he called Wolff after feeling depressed about his 10th place start at Silverstone, and thanked his boss for giving him back the confidence that helped him take his first win.

There is an almost familial bond between the two, not unlike the one between Hamilton and Ron Dennis when the former joined McLaren – the legendary F1 boss even described his relationship with the champion as that of “surrogate father and son”.

However, the similarity to Hamilton does not end there for Antonelli. He could be fighting for race wins and perhaps a title in his first F1 season.

His pedigree suggests that Antonelli could be a special talent and, barring a few inevitable rookie mistakes, could pose a real threat to Russell's status at Mercedes.

The crucial point is: If Verstappen remains an option for 2026/27, Russell could find himself in a vulnerable position.

READ MORE: Fans criticize team boss for “disrespectful” comments about US star

Antonelli's arrival makes Russell even more vulnerable

Russell would no doubt have been delighted to hear of Hamilton's retirement. This was finally his chance to lead Mercedes and spearhead a championship campaign with him at the heart of it.

But that didn't quite happen. Had Mercedes opted for Carlos Sainz or interim Valtteri Bottas while they waited for Antonelli, Russell would have been the undisputed number one.

However, Antonelli is an unknown quantity for Russell and the Italian's close relationship with Wolff could damage his career.

There is a chance that Antonelli will fail to impress at Mercedes, while Russell has the experience and consistency to secure race wins and perhaps even a title.

However, let's take the example of Oscar Piastri at McLaren: The Australian quickly proved his skills and is now on a par with Lando Norris.

Assuming Antonelli can repeat this feat, Mercedes will be faced with a difficult decision if Verstappen suddenly shows interest in the team.

Although Russell has openly stated that he would love the opportunity to race alongside Verstappen in the same car, Antonelli's promotion could mean he never gets the chance.

Russell should be alarmed by Wolff's interest in Verstappen

Regardless of how happy Mercedes is with its driver line-up for the 2026/2027 season, it is hard to imagine Wolff passing up the opportunity to sign Verstappen.

The Dutchman could be a four-time world champion or more by then, and as Ferrari proved by replacing Carlos Sainz with Lewis Hamilton, experience wins all.

So if Verstappen does indeed move to Mercedes, who will the team keep by his side?

Wolff's commitment to Antonelli and their relationship represent a bond that will be difficult to break at Mercedes.

Russell is undoubtedly convinced that he is the team's best option and trusts the team to stay loyal to him, but Wolff's faith in Antonelli and his commitment to Verstappen should worry him.

It is too early to judge whether Russell will completely resist this pressure, rise to the challenge or be seduced by another team.

What this scenario shows, however, is that regardless of whether Verstappen joins and they are faced with that decision, they are in an incredibly strong position, whatever their driver line-up.

While Mercedes' driver market dilemma means trouble for Russell, it is also a declaration of intent to rival F1 teams: They will once again be chasing a world championship title and have the talent needed – especially if they master the 2026 regulations.

READ MORE: Hamilton was snubbed when the American F1 star was named sexiest driver

Related